USA > Indiana > Annual reunion of the 36th Indiana volunteers: 4th-5th, 1887-1888, 7th-14th, 1890-1897 > Part 12
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Well, I have detained you long enough. God bless you. May the blessings of God attend you through life and the frost never bite your potatoes.
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MEMBERS PRESENT.
COMPANY A.
Robert Gordon, Indianapolis, Ind. Henry Waddell, Cambridge Cy., Ind. Chas. H. Moore, Dunreith, Ind. Clarkson Gordon, Spiceland, Ind. John Antrim, Knightstown, Ind. C. W. Reynolds, Lewisville, Ind. Josiah Moore, Muncie, Ind. Spreund
John Veal, Williamsburgh, Ind.
· S. P. Everett, Muncie, Ind. T. H Kirby, Muncie, Ind.
J. W. Taylor, Muncie, Ind. W. P. Sherry, Muncie, Ind. T. L. Reynolds, Elwood, Ind.
A. J. Miller, Jonesboro, Ind. C. M. Moore, New Castle, Ind. Jacob Sweigart, Muncie, Ind. T. W. Ginn, Rochester, Ind. J. C. Wayman, New Castle, Ind. M. Haguewood, New Castle, Ind. G. Atkinson, Sulphur Springs, Ind. S. T. Powell, New Castle, Ind. G. W. Conrad, Lewisville, Ind. Coa
Truman Goldsbury, Lewisville. Ind.
Sylvanus Charles, Dublin, Ind. .C. S. Watson, Pendleton, Ind.
J. R. Henry, Mays, Ind.
J. Stiggleman, Spiceland, Ind.
W. Callahan, Anderson, Ind. Geo, Beach, Lewisville, Ind. spreiland
COMPANY B.
Joshua Jester, Yorktown, Ind. W. H. H. Richey, Muncie, Ind. W. P. McLain, Muncie, Ind. J. P. Robinson, Muncie, Ind. Jos. Baney, Muncie, Ind.
COMPANY C.
Eli F. Milliken, Spiceland, Ind. Hugh Mullen, New Castle, Ind. N. Nicholson, New Castle, Ind. H. H. Hender-on, New Castle, Ind. James Ginn, Middletown, Ind. H. Reichert, Cadiz, Ind. H. S. Powell, New Castle, Ind. Capt. J. C. Livezey, New Castle, Ind.
COMPANY D.
J. W. Newby, Knightstown, Ind. Wm. E. Bicknel, Richmond, Ind. Leather Vanmeter; Muncie, Ind. Capt. D. W. Chambers, New Castle, Ind. Morgan James, Osceola, Neb. J. Bowman, Greensboro. Ind. A. W. Saint, New Castle, Ind. Nathan Weeks, Rushville, Ind.
J. H. Level, Hagerstown, Ind. Thomas Benbow, Hagerstown, Ind. C. H. Smothers, Modock, Ind. Zene C. Bohrer, St. Paul, Minn. Jos. A. Fowler, Parker, Ind. James H. Thompson, Richmond, Ind.
J. A. Spencer, Spiceland, Ind.
R. D. Murray, Winchester, Ind. H. B. Chew, Kennard, Ind.
E. Copeland, Greensboro, Ind. T- J. Houck, New Castle, Ind. John Pickett, Guy Ind.
COMPANY E.
Joseph Benbow, Hagerstown, Ind. Albert Fritz, Hagerstown, Ind.
B. C. Hornady, Carlos City, Ind.
W. H. Hubbard, Dunkirk, Ind.
D. Cheesman, Hagerstown, Ind.
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COMPANY F. .
Wm. F. Robertson, Fountain Cy. Ind. Thad Gordon, Knightstown, Ind. Albert Cain, Greensfork, Ind. Oliver Miller, Carlos Cy., Ind. Calvin Skinner, Muncie, Ind. R. M. Clark, Fountain City, Ind. Geo. Muhl, Richmond, Ind.
Albert Parvis, Billingsville, Ind. Wm. Bryant, Milton, Ind. W. H. Duvall, Liberty Ind. C. M. Paddock, Darwin, Ind. Wm. Allen, Richmond, Ind. J. H. McClung, Muncie, Ind. W. Sullivan, Straughn, Ind. Wm. Gibbs, Concord, Mich.
Stephen White, Everton, Ind. W. L. Jordan, Connersville, Ind. Geo. Mullikin, Connersville, Ind. Henry Brenner, New Lisbon, Ind. R. Best, Brookville, Ind. S. Langstone, Everton, Ind.
Capt. Jos. L. Smith, Richmond, Ind. Ed. Price, Fountain City, Ind. Seth Watson, Richmond, Ind. O. P. Brown, Camden, Ohio.
COMPANY G. H. H. Eaton, Bringhurst, Ind. J. P. Swisher, Liberty, Ind. John Roark, Liberty, Ind. W. R. Teeguarden, Indianapolis, Ind. Abraham Miller, Mt. Carmel, Ind. A. Scott, Chicago, Ill. H. Goodlander, Anderson, Ind. Josiah Gossett, Centerville, Ind.
COMPANY H.
David Rigor, Everton, Ind. James Ludlow, Hawkins, Ind. John Myers, Everton, Ind. Jos. Werking, Elwood, Ind. Cap. W. H. Limpus, Alpine, Ind. W. Millspaugh, New Cumberland, Ind.
COMPANY I.
Caleb W. Lester, Cambridge Cy., Ind. Wm. H. Stephens, Cambridge Cy., Ind. Wm. Miller, Cambridge Cy., Ind. Milton R. Lester, Connersville, Ind. Barney Cosgrove, Cambridge Cy., Ind. Jos. Funk, Dublin, Ind. Nathan Ratliff, Richmond, Ind. E. A. Grigg, Middletown, Ind. Enoch Craig, Middleboro, Ind. Isaac Davis, Cambridge Cy., Ind .. Geo. L. Weist, Cambridge Cy., Ind. Amos D. Smith, Dublin, Ind. Aaron Conkling, Mt. Summit, Ind. W. Stout, Richmond, Ind. ' ; John Cecil, Muncie, Ind.
COMPANY K.
Clinton Hawhee, Knightstown, Ind. Isaac Roberts, Knightstown, Ind. Daniel Catt, New Castle, Ind. Z. Deem, Spiceland, Ind.
Milton Peden, Knightstown, Ind. O. V. Lemon, Richmond, Ind. A. J. Driscoll, Neff, Ind.
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ANNUAL REUNIONS
OF THE
36th Indiana Volunteers,
Thirteenth and Fourteenth,
1896-1897.
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THIRTEENTH AND FOURTEENTH
Annual Reunions
OF THE
36th Indiana Volunteers,
HELD AT
New Castle, Indiana, September 29, 1896. Hagerstown, Indiana, August 18, 1897.
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NEW CASTLE, IND .: J. M. KISSEL, PRINTER. 1897.
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Proceedings of Thirteenth Reunion.
It was not a very bright prospect which greeted the majority of the survivors of the famous 36th regiment as they arose this morning and remembered that this was the day of the annual love-feast and reunion. The once strong war- riors are not so well able to cope with the elements as they were, when on the 11th of October, thirty-five years ago the regiment, 1047 men, marched away to the front to achieve a record which has brought honor to the members of the regiment, to the State and to the Nation. Nevertheless the morning trains brought in many from Richmond, Liberty, Cambridge City, and Muncie and scattering ones from various parts of the State and United States.
The forenoon was spent in shaking hands and in friendly greetings, and never were greetings more cordial between real brothers than between these men who together faced death in all its terrible forms. There were reminis- cences to go over and jokes which never grow old were to be retold and not one moment was lost or counted as misspent. The reception committee, consisting of Comrades H. L. Mullen, D. W. Chambers and B. S. Parker, was everywhere making all feel perfectly at home. General Grose was an entire reception com- mittee in himself, and all were glad to see him. Members of Geo. W. Lennard Post, not comrades of the 36th, were also on hand to greet the visitors. At noon long tables were spread in the dining hall in the K. of P. building and the ladies proved themselves to be excellent hostesses and the feast was much enjoyed. Much of the success of the reunion is due to the efforts of the ladies of the W. R. C. At 1:30 the veterans assembled in the K. of P. assembly hall and after prayer by Chaplain W. C. Gibbs, General Grose took the chair and made a few touching remarks complimentary to the soldiers. Letters of regret were read from S. H. Kersey, J. H. McClung, Morgan James, Jack Walker and Zene C. Bohrer. The mortuary committee reported eleven deathe since the last reunion, as follows: Albert Jacob, Alex. Parkhurst, Augustus Glidden, Enoch Craig, David Spencer, George Goodwin, John H. Wright, R. M. Nixon, John Ervin, William Ritchie, Nevil Fletcher.
General Grose was elected president of the association for life; J. H. Mc- Clung, 1st vice-president; Col. M. Peden, 2d vice-president; W. C. Gibbs, chap- lain; John C. Livezey. secretary; Jos. L. Smith, corresponding secretary; Thad Gordon, treasurer. The question of selecting a place to hold the next reunion then came up for settlement, and after some discussion a vote was taken, re- sulting in the selection of Hagerstown as the place to meet next year. An ad- journment for supper was then taken.
After supper comrades met for camp fire. Gen. Grose made a few remarks, as follows.
"I am not prepared to make speeches like I once was. When you have passed four score and three years you will not feel like making speeches, or running foot races, or anything that takes manual or intellectual exercise. You will feel like John Sherman says, 'I am too old; I will rest.' And that is the way I feel. A good many of you are advancing in years, and I do not want to dis- courage you. Up to five or six years ago I did all kinds of labor that my duty required me to do. ' While I am not here to brag on myself. I have tried to do my duty. But I am not the only one in this audience that has done that thing. The wives rallied around; to the men and women, I may say, we can give our gratitude alike. Without the mothers and the sisters, the fathers and brothers at home, raising the products of earth, and providing us along the way, we would soon have had to turn back, and you would have had no government to- day. But you stood by us, and these men that now look so seedy and aged over went forward and saved your government; and it is progressing and going for-
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ward, and it will continue while they live. And if we can teach our children to do their duty, as you did yours, we will continue this government as long as time shall last. I say women: the mother when she was bidding good by to her son; the wife, when she was holding 'up in front of the departing soldier her baby, as I saw in my own door yard, and saying, 'I will take care of the baby, you go.' Governor Morton was urging me to go. and I went to the front and put in five years of the best of my life, and you, and you, and you, (pointing to different veterans) yes, the 107 of you that are here today, did your duty and came home, crowned with victory; and government will show it as long as the last man of it shall survive. (Applause.) I want another word. I have had the greatest pleasure of my life in just meeting these boys, and some others of the same regiments that were with us, in reunions like this. Why, what would I exchange such a face as that, or that, or that soldiered with me for three "years, for? I say to you that I am glad to see you here, and I trust that we shall live to pass another annual and meet again. And I hope that we will each of us improve in our conduct in this country, and for this country, instead of dimin- ishing in the least.
Prayer by Wmn. C. Gibbs, followed by address of Judge Eugene H. Bundy:
Mr. President: I have, a good many times, when I have been around where old soldiers were talking, heard of their surprises that they experienced during the war-things that came along which they were not looking for. The unex- pected happened, and they were surprised; but I say to you, in my judgment, in the whole war, no man was more surprised than I was when Captain Mullen told me that I must come up here and make a speech. It was a clear case of draft. I suppose if I had been called upon some time ago I would have volunteered, but in this case it was a draft. He said, "You must come up and make a speech of welcome to the 36th Indiana." Now what words does the 36th Indiana need to assure them that they are welcome to this town. and to the families and homes of this city? Why, you know. every one of you, that you are just as welcome as you are upon your own door step -- every one of you, without a single exception. Men who have suffered and endured and passed through what these old gray- headed men who sit around here tonight have suffered and endured, should be welcome anywhere, as long as the world stands. (Applause. ) And you are wel- come-thrice welcome. Why. this old gray-headed man here (pointing to Gen. Grose) is an inspiration to the citizens of New Castle, and to every citizen of Henry county. How many communities can boast of as grand an old man as your old commander? May the Lord give him strength to live years and years yet. (Loud applause.) I do not over-estimate or over-state language, soldiers of the 36th, when I say that the war produced no braver or greater soldier than your old commander. (Loud applause.) He is an inspiration to every young man, to every old man, and to every one that lives in this community, and to every one who knows hint. His career has been one of the grandest, and if he should die tomorrow he would die the honored and respected friend of all the community. The Government has just lately paid him tardy justice. He has been receiving, just a short time, a pension to make his old age comfortable and happy. You are all glad of it, are you not? ( Many voices: "Yes! Yes! Yes!") I wish it were four times the amount. and I wish that every one of you were getting just as much. There cannot be too much done for the soldier of the re- bellion. I remember, when I was a young fellow. of seeing the soldiers going to the war, and I remember of seeing them come back from the war; and I have seen them front that time. year after year, holding army reunions. I remember the first reunions after the war. You were then with scarcely a tinge of gray on your heads. Some of them were alert in their steps, marching forward as they greeted their old comrades with their old military step and bearing. that made every one of us, and everybody in the community, sorry that he was not in the army. Your ranks are now becoming more and more decimated; old age and the seeds of disease incurred during the war are doing what the shots of battle and the cannon failed to do. About three years ago I attended a reunion where was a number of regiments together, and I especially remarked the al- 1110st entire absence of the quick, alert step of the soldier. Here was a wooden leg, there an empty sleeve, and it scarcely seemed like the same body of men who had gone out. It was not the same body, but they were animated by the same spirit, and there was, one thing that had never changed, and that was the 1
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music. As those old men marched forward in line there I heard the music, the band playing The Battle Hymn of the Republic, the same old tune with which the soldier went down to battle. The Battle Hymn of the Republic:
"In the beauty of the lily Christ was born, across the sea; There is glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me.
As He died to make men holy, we will die to make men free; As we go marching on."
. The music was the same; and the inspiring notes of that band awakened the recollection of every man in the ranks of what had impelled him forward when he went to the war.
Talk about being welcome to any community! They have built a soldiers' monument in Indiana recently; it towers high up toward heaven, and is a mag- nificent structure. It is a grand tribute, a perpetual and everlasting tribute to the valor of Indiana soldiers. I do not believe that the figure with which they crowned that monument was exactly the figure to put there. I believe that the figure to crown the Indiana soldiers' monument most appropriately would have been that of a private soldier, with his army brogans, blue cap, his blue over- coat and his old musket by his side, so that every boy and every young man who marched by, or passed by, that monument might say, "That looks like him." There could have been, to my mind, no more appropriate figure for the monu- ment to the soldiers.
I have said all that I think it is proper to say upon this occasion. I can only add this, in conclusion: That every soldier, every member of the 36th Indiana regiment-a historic old regiment, a grand old regiment-one of the best that ever went into the army, and with one of the best records as fighters that any regiment ever sustained; that every soldier, whether he belongs to the 36th, the 84th or 69th, or any of the regiments of Indiana, are welcome, thrice welcome, to the homes and the hearts of the people of New Castle. (Loud applause.)
Response by Comrade Gibbs, who spoke as follows:
General Grose and Citizens of New Castle: I feel to say to our friend Judge Bundy that we do know we are welcome here. We knew it before he gave us the word, because we remember during those days of the sixties something of the interest manifested in our regiment by New Castle and this county. We remember that you watched our movements anxiously. We knew that your hearts were with us, watching our movements there; watching with deep con- cern, because with us and of us were your own sons, fathers, husbands and brothers. We remember, also, that among us was our own gallant commander from your city. Many other of our efficient officers were from this place. We knew that you watched us during those years, and became, as it were, a part of us. And to feel, and to hear the word from the people of New Castle, "Come to our city, abide with us, make your stay with us, meet your comrades, many of whom are our own sons, fathers and brothers; mingle with them in our public places, and upon our streets;" this, indeed, came to us, in all our affections, making us feel that there was someting deep and earnest in it. And again were called up from the dearest treasures of our hearts' dearest memories, names of those who belonged in your homes, who were dear to you, and were meinbers of this same regiment; and that, again, makes your welcome seem a very sincere welcome to us all. Some, perhaps, in this audience watched the going away of your own men, of your own community, men who were to become members of this 36th Indiana volunteers. Some of you, as fathers and mothers, watched the going away of these men; some present were, perhaps, then young ladies, watching with pride, and something more than ordinary concern, the steps of young men who were marching off in that line. Some of you, again, were chil- dren, hardly understanding what all the commotion meant. You were unable to comprehend why there was sadness when you heard the beating of the drums, the flying of banners and the movement of the people. It made it simp- ly a gala day to you. Those men whom you saw marching away at that time become our comrades. We loved them; we learned to love them because the ex- periences of camp and field unified the regiment, and will unify a regiment of men as no other experience can. There is something in experiencing together the hardships of the camp, the march through the continuous rain, or the dust, or through the mud, often extending through the darkness of a long night; the experience on the battle field, with the crash of artillery, the rattle of musketry,
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the cheer of the charge aud with the cheer of the repulse; with groans of the dying, the cries of the wounded; all these tend to unify a regiment of inen and make them to feel that they are one. We learned that we were becoming uni- fied as a regiment of men; that we were together as one great body; and we learned, too, that there was something about that comradeship that was differ- ent from the comradeship of any other experience of life. These mien-you watched them go away; we watched their depleting ranks. We knew the sad news that was to come back to the hontes of those boys in this county. We sor- rowed with you thirty years ago, and when we reflect that we were then in sym- pathy with you, families and numbers of families who may be represented here tonight, and who have given us this cordial welcome, we feel that there is some- thing under the welcome that is sincere and deep. We know that you gladly welcome us here with your hearts and homes. You have welcomed us here as brave men; you have welcomed us here as members of a grand and noble regi- ment. We receive your welcome as such; not as vain men; not as men who are not entitled to the name. We have grown older, and we believe that we can look upon these matters more calmly, more prudently; and we feel that we are entitled to receive your welcome as brave men. The history of these boys, when the regiment had an existence, tells us where we belong. And that history tells us that we belong among the brave men of the nation; that this was a capable regiment; and we come seriously, not arrogantly, but because we are entitled to it, as members of that regiment; and we can stand erect, with eyes directed into your own faces, and say that we receive your welcome as such. But we are not soldiers any longer. Few of us could come to an "attention," or to a "right face," and we would find it difficult to start off right on the march. We have assumed other positions in life. We parted thirty-two years ago, not under- standing what that parting meant. We had stood shoulder to shoulder so long; we had stood the same trials, fought in the same battles, slept in the same blankets, that when our friends were beckoning us home we hardly understood what that parting meant.
We desire to come together, once a year at least, where we may meet each other and mingle together, and talk over the times of old. We are here in this place, the name familiar to us because of your sons and husbands who were our comrades; and we are here, glad to receive your welcome. I am proud again to receive your welcome, because, speaking for my regiment, I can say to you we receive it as good and honored men; men who are respected in their communi- ties; men who are comfortable in their homes; men who have happy homes, and whether rich or poor, or at that better medium, whatever be their condition in that particular, we have good, pleasant and happy homes. We receive your welcome, then, as true men as well as true soldiers; we receive your welcome as men who are all worthy in their communities. If you think I am arrogant just pardon my regimental pride, for I do have great pride in the record of my regi- ment; glad to know that it stands one equal to any that was organized among the men of this State; that it was a regiment of men who were grand and true soldiers, and I am proud again of the fact that they are grand and true citizens. Fellow citizens of New Castle, if you should discover, while we stay with you, one or two of the very unfortunate ones who have failed to reach titanhood, try to do as we, their comrades, to cover with the mantle of charity their imperfec- tions and faults.
Again, I say we thank you for this welcome. We are here in the home of our gallant commander; we are with the soldiers of Henry county, and there were many in our regiment, and we can say to you that they were grand true mien. We are here with them, mingling with them as of old, happy in our meeting and glad to be here. (Loud applause.)
The audience was favored at this point with a song by a male quartet, who sang "The Banner of Beauty and Glory," the national hymn of the Sons of Veterans.
Following the song Miss Newby, of Lewisville, charmed the veterans and their friends with a declamation. The little lady received a hearty welcome, and was called back, when she recited, "Don't Change the Old Flag."
Some remarks were made by Col. Peden, who was followed by Comrade Robert Gordon with a recitation, "Veteran's Soliloquy."
The quartet again favored the audience, which was followed by Capt. D. W. 1
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Chambers, who made some remarks concerning the regiment's service, and con- cluded thus:
"Now I have occupied a great deal more time than I ought to have done. I hope these reunions will continue. Let the story of this grand old regiment, one that the line in which it stood was never broken, go on. Let the reunions go on as long as one of this fearless regiment remains, until the last man has passed away. It may be lonely, but let that last man gather; let him call the reunion himself; let him go to where it is called, and if nobody who was in the regiment shall gather with him and tell, around the camp fire, the stories of the regiment, maybe the man's great grand children will be there, and he may tell it to them. I say that the grand story of a regiment that every man that was in was proud of is like what was said of that Roman citizen, "To be a Roman is greater than to be a king." Thus let no member of the 36th want anything greater than that he was a soldier of that grand regiment. I thank you. (Loud applause.
Comrade H. L. Powell was called for and responded by singing "Marching Through Georgie." as he alone can sing it, the audience joining in the chorus.
At the conclusion of the song Chaplain Gibbs offered a resolution, that the sincere thanks of the members of the regiment be tendered to the people of New Castle and the Relief Corps for their kind efforts to make the reunion so great a success, and the resoluion was unanimously adopted; also including the Knights of Pythias for their beautiful building, which done so much to make our reunion a success; could not have been planned better to meet such demands. Also, to the quartet who done so much and so cheerfully with their songs to make the old veteran glad; and Judge Bundy, Miss Newby, and all who did what they could for our enjoyment and entertainment.
The following letters were received from comrades who could not attend:
OSCEOLA, NEB., Sept. 23, 1896.
Capt. John C. Livezey, Recording Secretary:
Dear Comrade :- With all the other surviving comrades of the old 36th, and especially to my old friend Major General William Grose, I send these few lines, greeting. I also send especial regards to my two old companions in the surgic- al department, Surgeons S. H. Kersey and R. Bosworth, for favors shown me while associated together. I am very sorry that circumstances are such that I cannot be with you, my dear comrades, at our next reunion, which I am in- formed by card will be on the 29th inst. I regret exceedingly to have to forego that pleasure. I hope it may be a feast of happiness, and a flow of soul with you all, and that you may all have a jovial time together. MORGAN JAMES.
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