USA > Indiana > Reunion of the 9th regiment Indiana vet. vol. infantry association, 1892-1904 > Part 30
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By words and acts we were made to realize that "there is nothing too good for the Old Ninth while in Misha- waka." Comrades of the regiment who were fortunate enough to be there and enjoy the gracious welcome ten- dered will always bear in their hearts a kindly recollection of their brief sojourn in the pretty, thriving, enterprising and thoroughly up-to-date city of Mishawaka. Comrades Marks, Holliday and Kremer happily conceived the idea of surmounting the usual silk reunion badge with a photo- medallion of General Robt. H. Milroy, the first commander of the Ninth Indiana.
The incoming train's were met by the reception com- mittee, and comrades were conducted through streets handsomely decorated with a profusion of flags and bunt- ing to the inspiring strains of an excellent martial band. Not only was the theater tastily and appropriately decor- ated with flags and flowers, but the stage was graced with handsome picttires of America's great men, and conspicu- ously placed on easels at the front of the stage were nearly life-size crayon pictures in elegant frames of three of the regimemal commanders Milroy. Blake and Suman. Like- wise, grouped in the midst of war relies directly in the center and in front of the stage, mounted upon a trestle, was the saddle used by Dr. Sherman, the regimental sur-
geon of the Ninth, with all the trappings used in the ser- vice, including holster with revolvers, etc., complete. Mrs. Edward Jernegan, the only daughter of the Ninth's old surgeon, lives in Mishawaka. It was an object of much interest to the old veterans.
The forenoon of the first day, Thursday, was mainly taken up in the reception of the veterans and in their assignment to quarters. AAnd as usual upon such occa- sions there was a reunion of several of the survivors of old "messes," and squads of the old boys were scattered about the theater holding "heart to heart talks" of the old days, and of the missing ones. Among those whom we noted present for the first time at a reunion of the association, were Horace Parks of Kansas, Caleb C. Redding from Missouri, Amos W. Reynolds from Colorado, Adolphus Whorwell from Michigan, Sergt. Levi Van Winkle. Peter Sternberg, Ellis Pahnatcer and William B. Webster of Indiana.
General George H. Thomas.
Address of Welcome by Hon. M. M. Fisher.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The veterans were very much disappointed at the non- arrival of Gen. I. C. B. Suman, President of the association. Subsequently we learned the old Commander was suffer- ing too severely from the ugly wounds received at Stone River to venture from his home.
A little after two o'clock the association was called to order and Secretary Whitehall said he had been requested by Comrade A: S. McCormick, the ranking Vice-Presi- dent, to say that he preferred to yield the chair to Captain D. B. Mc Connell, the second President ever chosen by the association. Thereupon Captain McConnell was unanimously chosen President pro tem. After Eberhart's Martial Band had rendered an old-time patriotic air, Hon. M. M. Fisher, Mayor of Mishawaka, was introduced and in an earnest and impressive mummer bade the Ninth wel- come in the following words:
Mr. President, Ladies and Fellow Comrades:
Two score years and more have passed since to all parts of our beloved country was heralded the news. "Fort Sumter has been fired upon." And well do we, who were the lads and young men of that time, remember the scenes never to be forgotten. Business anties and cires of daily life were brushed aside. The one great question to be settled was. Shall our country be united, or shall it fall?
Father Abraham issued his first call for 75.000 volun- teers for three months; followed by another for 300,000 for three years, or until the war closed. War, in all its fury was upon this country; everywhere was heard the music of the file and drum; and on every hand was to be seen the rustling flags and the moving bodies of armed men. It was at such a time as this, when from every walk of
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life a brave body of men, those of middle age, and the young men in the prime of life, forgot home, kindred and friends in their loyalty to country, and answered the call.
From out of those willing to sacrifice their lives for love of country was formed a regiment of brave boys in blue, called the Ninth Indiana Volunteers. Better sol- diers, nobler men, or those more willing to do their duty could not be found. Their record upon fields of battle will verify this statement; and you, fellow comrades, were of the gallant number who marched away to the South, solemnly vowing that you would never return until rebel- lion had been suppressed and the integrity of the Union had been restored.
Four years of cruel war! How your ranks were deci- mated by shot and shell from the enemy and from sickness! Never daunted, you dared to do and to die.
At last peace was proclaimed and the regiment was mustered out and you returned to the active duties of home life. But not all returned. Many were left sleeping the sleep that knows no awakening on Southern battlefields and along the running streams of that land. Others re- turned. maimed in limbs or health shattered; but cach received the plaudit: Welcome, Soldier!
Thirty-six years have now gone by and I see assembled before me a remnant of that valiant regiment in ammal reunion to renew the friendships formed on fields of battle : to cement the ties of brotherhood then formed, ties sealed by the life blood of your fellow comrades; to sing the war songs you used to sing, though you are now aged' and many of von feeble; to grow young once more, if only for a short time, around the camp-fires and at seeing faces as familiar almost as dear ones left at home.
And now, as Mayor of the city of Mishawaka, I wel- come you into this city and thank you for coming, guar- antecing to you immunity from any and every annoyance that might in the least mar the perfect pleasure of vonr stay.
I am not puffed up about our city, but you will find nearly two miles of beautiful and well-kept asphalt street over which you are free to walk or drive, leagues of cement pavement over which you are free to roam at will. our beau- tiful park, spacious school buildings, numerous factories -- some of them the largest in the world of their kind-our beautiful river, and our street railway system not excelled by cities many times our size.
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We are a city of working men and women, and as such are prosperous and happy. But we have not been so long enough to develop the wealth that may indulge in monu- ments of marble. Out of the many thrifty industries which have developed in our city we live in hope that some day we may raise up a Carnegie, a Peter Cooper or a James Oliver.
And now, Mr. President and fellow comrades, the city is yours. Use it. We want you to be happy while you stay among us. Our jail doors have been closed, the police have been told to keep hands off. Our people are genial and sociable, and again, I welcome you to our hearts and to our homes; in fact, to all that we have which will make you the richer in pleasant memories of us, and which will not impoverish us by the giving.
Response by Captain D. B. McConnell.
Captain D. B. McConnell responded to the Address of Weicome in part as follows:
Mayor Fisher, on behalf of the Ninth Indiana, I accept the gracious and cordial welcome, which in eloquent words you have just extended to us, with the sincere thanks of myself and comrades.
Mishawaka, in the war times and in the days of peace, has always possessed an enviable reputation for patriotism and loyalty to the government, and love for the soldier, and we could expect nothing else than a generous recep- tion and hearty welcome when we come as survivors of the Ninth Indiana, with which many of you were so closely connected and in which were deeply interested when the great war was in progress. I remember the gallant officers and men of the company organized here, designated as Company I of our regiment, and claim a warmer personal friendship for these men living, and dead, than is implied even in that expressive word .Comrade.' Captains Houghton and Petit were especially intimate and dear personal friends of mine, one of whom gave up his life at Shiloh and the other at Stone River, in which battles the Ninth lost so many of its gallant and manly young men. I also remember quite well Lieutenants Parks and Cris- well, who gave their lives in the thickest of the fight at Chickamauga, and I recall many of the gallant enlisted
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men of Company I who gave their lives while in service with the Ninth; I cannot recall their names individually, but their record is an honorable one, and though their manly forms, clad in the glorious Union blue, sleep in Southern lands, or in some cases here in the land of their boyhood, they are not forgotten, but are still to heart and memory dear. And kindred and patriots of St. Joseph county will remember with a just pride the splendid bravery and devotion of these gallant, fallen sons.
The Captain here sketched briefly the service of the regiment from its organization as a three-year regiment and its re-enlistment as a veteran organization, down to the close of the war, and its final muster out in September, 1865. Inasmuch as we are limited as to time and space in the preparation of this reunion report, at the suggestion and the request as well of Captain McConnell, we omit this part of his response, which concluded with these words: "Such, briefly, is a sketch of what these men and their comrades in camp, march and battle, did in the great war for the preservation of the Nation's life. It is, Sir, a proud record. According the full credit to other brave regiments of the state and nation, we must insist that the record of the Ninth Indiana is one of which we and our whole state and nation may justly feel proud. The soil of all the great historic battlefields I have named were stained with the blood of the Ninth Indiana, and freely mingled with that of the heroes of other companies of the command, was the blood of the noble sons of Mishawaka and St. Joseph county. Hence your people naturally and rightfully share in our pride, and we gratefully accept your hospitality."
Judge MeConnell, on assuming the chair, said: "My comrades, we are now ready for the transaction of our regular business and Lawait your pleasure."
On motion of Comrade Whitehall, Captain Wm. H. Merritt, Sergeant N. V. Brower, and Comrades B. .. Dunn, A. S. McCormick and S. I. Kesler were chosen as a committee to formulate and present resolutions of respect to the memory of Captain Amasa Johnson.
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Comrade A. S. McCormick stated that he felt assured it was the desire of almost every survivor of the regiment that the Ninth Indiana be honored according to its just merits for the part it took in the battle of Shiloh, and that masmuch as Colonel E. S. Nicar of South Bend had been appointed as one of the committee to locate the markers and monuments of the Indiana regiments that fought on the field of Shiloh, it might be well for the regiment to extend an invitation to Colonel Nicar to attend our camp- fire, and hear something of the behavior of our regiment, and the part it took in that great battle, that he might thereby be influenced to see to it that due credit was accorded the Ninth in the location of the markers and monuments on the field, and to insist that the truth be set out in the inscriptions. He felt that by reason of Captain McConnell being on the Chickamauga Park Commission from our state and subsequently its chairman, and the splendid fight he made for it, the Ninth ultimately secured fair recognition in the marking of its positions on the battlefield. He therefore moved that the chair appoint a committee of five to retire and at once confer by telephone with Colonel Nicar of South Bend, and invite him to attend the regimental camp-fire this evening. The motion pre- vailed and the chair appointed as such committee Corporal A. S. McCormick, Captain W. M. Merritt, Lieutenant Thos. Prickett, Sergeant N. V. Brower, and Byron . A. Dunn.
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Reports of Officers and others.
The President announced that the next order of busi- ness was the reading of reports from officers. Thereupon the Corresponding Secretary submitted his report in the words and figures following:
Officers and Members of the Ninth Regiment Indiana Veterans' Volunteer Infantry Association;
I hereby report that in the preparation of our annual report of the reunion of 1900 I labored under a seeming multitude of embarrassment, which delayed the sending out of the pamphlets several months after I had placed the manuscript in the printer's hands. The revision of the roster of survivors involved a great deal of correspondence, and no small amount of labor was be- stowed upon the report of 1900 in an attempt to fitly round out the century with a fairly complete report.
You will. Comrades, note with sadness the lengthening of our death roll. This to my inind should only inspire among the sur- vivors a closer comrade-hip. The following is my statement of the receipts and disbursements for the year ending October 2, 1901:
RECEIPTS
Balance in my hands as per last report.
Dues received from Comrades as follows:
W'm. Markel 2.00
Lieutenant Ed. Ephlin
Lieutenant Alfred Allen 1.CO
Caleb Baldwin 1.00
J. D. Godard. 1.00
A. Shanahan 1.CO
.50
W. H. Lintz.
.50
Chas. Peasley .50
G. W. Blackman, by Widow
1.00
George M. Harris,
1.00
Wm. Lewry
2.00
H. Brummitt 2.00
A. Shannahan for 1901.
.50
Chas Monson
1.00
14.50
Treasurer Banta, Draft.
25.00
Treasurer Banta, Draft
50.00
Total Receipts $03.74
$4.24
$0.50
J. R. MeNulty
DISBURSEMENTS.
R. F. Brink, printing and binding 400 copies of Annual Report of Reunion of 1900, including Brigade Reunion $75.55
R. F. Brink, 1,000 large envelopes 2,00
R. F. Brink, small envelopes 1.00
Two-cent stamps for mailing reports, correspond- ence, etc., also including postal cards. 8.50
Engrossing Resolutions in Memory of General Gross.
directing and mailing tube, etc .. 3.75
Express charges on electrotype plates. .75
Postal cards for 1901, Invitations to Reunion 4.00
Printing the Invitations on cards 1.50
Total disbursements $97.05
Balance due Alex Whitehall on account oi
over payment 3.3I
Respectfully submitted, ALEX L. WHITEHALL, Corresponding Secretary.
Lieutenant John Banta submitted the following report as Treasurer:
MISHAWAKA, IND., Oct. 2, 1901.
Comrades of the Ninth:
I submit my report of the receipts and expenses for the year ending October 2, 1901. as follows:
RECEIVED.
Amount in hands of Treasurer date of last report. $17.75
Received at Hobart from dues 57.00
Dues collected of Jacob Barron. .50
Dues collected of Wm. Mclaughlin 1.00
Total Receipts $76.25
PAID OUT.
December 17. 1900, to Secretary Alex. L .. Whitehall. . $25.00 Postage and exchange on drait. .10
February 20, 1901, drait. exchange and postage to Alex. 1 .. Whitehall 50.15
Total expenses . $75.25
Balance in Treasury 1.00
$76.25
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN BANTA. Treasurer.
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Lieutenant J. M. Helmick, the Recording Secretary, not being present at the last reunion, had no report to submit.
The foregoing reports were on motion approved and ordered to be printed in our annual reunion report.
Captain Wm. H. Merritt moved that the Correspond- ing Secretary reimburse himself to the amount of $3.31 balance he has advanced for the association, as shown by the report, from dues coming into his hands. The motion prevailed.
Moved by Lieutenant J. M. Helmick that the Corre- sponding Secretary procure, if possible without too much trouble and expense, an engraving of the monument of the Ninth Indiana on the Chickamauga battlefield and give it a page in our forthcoming annual report. Motion car- ried.
Moved by Lieutenant Banta that the association do now proceed, as a special order of business, to select a place for our next reunion, and also to the election of officers of the association for the ensuing year. Motion carried.
Thereupon the President announced that the selection of place for next meeting and the election of officers for the ensuing year having just been made the special order of business, by the unanimous vote of the association, he would now entertain nominations for place of next meet- ing. Thereupon Sergeant Abe Dils placed Elkhart in nomination, and in well chosen words set out the eligibility of that city and the desire of its citizens to entertain and honor the old Ninth for a third time. Comrade S. I. Kesler placed LaPorte in nomination and urged the com- rades of Elkhart to withdraw their nomination and allos LaPorte to be made the unanimous choice, calling atten- tion to the fact that Elkhart had entertained the regiment since it had met at LaPorte, and he assured the comrades present that he and his few Ninth comrades at LaPorte would esteem it a compliment if the old rendezvous of the
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Ninth in 1861 would be chosen for the 1952 reunion. After consultation Comrade Dils withdrew Elkhart from nomina- tion with the understanding that the reunion would be held at Elkhart two years hence .. LaPorte was then umani- mously chosen as the next place of meeting.
On call for the election of officers it was moved and carried unanimously that all the present officers, including the Executive Committee, substituting S. I. Kesler in place of Captain Amasa Johnson, recently deceased, be re-elected, and that the Corresponding Secretary cast one vote as the vote of the association for such officers and committeemen. Thereupon the vote was so cast for officers as follows: President, General I. C. B. Suman; Vice-Presidents, Co. A. A. S. McCormick; Co. B. John Vesper: Co. C, Abraham Dils; Co: D. Jones Grant; Co. E. J. P. Baldwin; Co. F. Lieutenant Sam. Dustan; Co. G, Lientenant Ben. R. Faris; Co. HI, Dan Lynch, Co. 1. John N. Holliday; Co. K, Sammel Landis; Band, John W. Jack- son: Corresponding Secretary, Mex. L. Whitehall; Re- cording Secretary, Lieutenant John M. Helmick, and Treasurer. Lieutenant John Banta. Executive Committee, General I. C. B. Suman, Major J. D. Braden, HI. O. Kremer, Samuel 1. Kesler, and Lieutenant R. F. Drullinger.
Comrade S. I. Kesler, on behalf of the committee ap- pointed two years ago to investigate and report as to the feasibility of erecting a monument to mark the site of the camp of rendezvous of the Ninth Indiana at LaPorte, known as "Camp Colfax." reported that the committee were able to report some progress in the matter, and sub- mitted to the association a plan for a granite block with proper inscription, which a local dealer in monuments esti- mated could be erected at a cost of less than fifty dollars. After discussing the committee's report it seemed to be the sense of the committee and of the association that stops could be taken to raise funds by subscription sufficient to place the marker in position in time for dedication during our reunion at LaPorte next October. On motion the
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committee was continued one year, and in conjunction with the Executive Committee empowered to act.
Lieutenant Helmick reported on behalf of the com- mittee appointed at the same time to secure if possible the marking by the city of Rensselaer, or county of Jasper, the old home and grounds of the late General R. H. Milroy at Rensselaer, that he was able also to report progress, in that the committee of the Ninth, acting in concert with a committee of citizens of Rensselaer, had taken steps to permanently honor their distinguished townsman by purchasing the grounds and some adjoining property, and making a city park to be known as Milroy Park; that a large sum of money had already been pledged for the purpose, and he felt quite confident that in the near future Rensselaer would have a handsome park named in honor of the gallant first commander of the Ninth Indiana. On motion of Comrade Whitehall the committee was con- tinued one year, and Comrade Helmick delegated to ex- press to the citizens of Rensselaer the thanks of the regi- ment for their laudable interest in the project for marking the old-time home of one of Indiana's bravest Major Gen- erals, by making it a public park, to be named after their former townsman, and to express the earnest hope that they may be highly successful in their laudable and patriotic effort to render the home and grounds of our loved first commander historic, and an ever enduring monument of the esteem of Rensselaer for the old hero.
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Reading of Letters.
Letters were read from absent comrades as follows:
Quartermaster Kelly, now residing with his son at May- wood, Cook county, Illinois, sent his kindest greeting and expressed his regret that the state of his health would not permit him to be with his old comrades.
Lieutenant Ambrose Bierce, late of Co. C, now a dis- tinguished literary man and widely known satirist, resid- ing in Washington, D. C., in an interesting letter to the Secretary, deprecated any attempt to mar the present Hazen Brigade Monument at Stone River by using it as a pedestal for any kind of a statue.
Matt. J. Day, of Co. F. the late popular Adjutant Gen- eral of the Ohio Department of the G. A. R., stated he was much disappointed and chagrined that professional work in the Federal court upon the days set for the reunion forced him to relinquish his plans for meeting old com- rades once more.
Comrades George M. Harris and Joseph W. Field of Co. F, both living in Missouri, expressed their regrets at not being able to attend.
N. S. Paul Esq. of Co. G. writing from Washington, D. C., where he is holding a position under the govern- ment, presented his greeting to old comrades.
Likewise Alfred Shannahan of Co. (, who is the com- mander of a G. A. R. Post in the far away state of Oregon, . bewailed his inability to "line up once more with his old comrades" at the reunion roll call, and strongly urged some of the old Ninth to attend the G. A. R. Encampment of Oregon next year at Astoria, Oregon.
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James White, also of Co. G, who had a son and son-in- law with General Funston in the Philippines, as members of the famous Twentieth Kansas, wrote that he wanted his old comrades to make a mental note of the fact that if they ever strayed out "Kansas way" not to forget that his latch string was "always a hangin' out for the likes o' them."
Jolly James K. Powers, Superintendent of the National Cemetery at Springfieldl, Missouri, sent his cheery greeting to the comrades in reunion.
A. L. Nichols, a lawyer of Winchester, Indiana, wrote stating that his father, H .. D. Nichols, a most estimable old comrade of Co. C, had answered the final roll call a few weeks before the reunion, and that he, the writer, hoped some day to attend a reunion of the Ninth and look upon the men whom his father so warmly esteemed as his com- rades in the war.
Sergeant Caleb Baldwin of Co. D. now residing at Siloam Springs, Arkansas, sent his heartiest greetings to old comrades and invited any of them who at any time found themselves near him to call at his home.
Comrades of Co. E explained the absence of Sergeant (). \ Servis, who has been present at nearly every reunion of the regiment, but who was at the last moment forced to remain at home on account of the sudden and serious illness of his daughter.
Almon Stuart of Co. I, residing at Minden, Nebraska, a veteran of the Ninth, now over eighty years of age, sent an interesting letter and a poem, written by him, entitled "Forty Years Ago." The reading of the letter and poem elicited the applause of his old comrades. The scarcity of funds and the lack of space precludes publication of his letter and poem in this report.
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Report of Committee on Resolutions on the Death of Captain Johnson.
The committee appointed to prepare resolutions of respect and condolence relative to the death of Captain Johnson submitted the following:
WHEREAS, It has pleased the Supreme Commander of the Uni- verse to call from this life to the life beyond the grave. our highly esteemed comrade and friend, Captain Amasa Johnson, of Com- pany D; therefore, be it
Resolved. By us, his comrades through more than three years of service under the Union Flag, that while we humbly bow our heads in recognition of the divine will. we will ever remember the soldierly qualities, the high degree of patriotism, and the many civic virtues of the deceased. In the battle he was brave, cool and collected, he possessed soldierly qualities in high degree, and evi- denced them in command and in comradeship. In civil life he exemplified the highest of civic virtues. We will ever remember him for these qualities, and hereby tender our sincere condolences to the bereaved wife and children of the deceased.
The report of the committee was unanimously adopted by a rising vote, and the Corresponding Secretary was instructed to publish the same in the annual report, and also to send at an early day a copy to the widow and children of Captain Johnson.
Roll Call.
In compliance with the rule adopted at the later meet- ings of the association the roll of the members present was called, and each comrade was required to rise to his feet and after saluting the President respond, "Here," and, if he felt inclined, to say a few words of greeting to his old comrades. Nearly every man whose name appears later
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