USA > Indiana > Reunion of the 9th regiment Indiana vet. vol. infantry association, 1892-1904 > Part 33
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Comrade Nichols was born and lived all of his life (69 years) in Randolph County, Indiana. He was married to
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Elizabeth Gray, who survives him as his widow, on the 28th day of January, 1854. Nine of the eleven children born to this worthy couple are living.
Comrade Nichols was a member of Co. C of the Ninth Indiana Veteran Infantry, joining the regiment in the fall of 1864. He participated in the battles of Franklin and Nashville and all the operations culminating in the defeat of Hood's army. He was a good and faithful soldier. In the home life he was not only a devoted husband and a loving father, but an upright and highly respected citizen in the community where he lived. He was intensely patri- otic and cherished a high regard and a brotherly affection for all his comrades of the Ninth, and was especially proud of the regiment's record. He was a zealous and active worker in the Church of Christ for over forty years, and enjoyed the fullest confidence and esteem of all who knew him, both as a man and soldier. All that was mortal of our good comrade was tenderly laid to rest by his comrades of the G. A. R. and his brethren of the Masonic fraternity. in the cemetery near Winchester, Indiana.
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Ninth Indiana
VETERAN VOLUNTEER
INFANTRY ASSOCIATION
--
Proceedings of the
Sixteenth Annual Reunion
HELD AT
LA PORTE, INDIANA
October 2 and 3, 1902
C
1017A130224 Y
GEN
MAN
B
Mustered at LaPorte, Ind.
₹ 1801 :---
SIXTEENTH ANNUAL REUNION
- OF THE
Diuthy Judinna
Veteran Association.
fıst Anniversary of the Organiza- tion of the regiment.
LA PORTE, IND.
October 2d, & 3d, 1902. -
ENGOUR RECORD: 300
PHILLIPPI. LAUREL HILL, CARRICK'S FORD GREENBRIER, ALLEGHANY, SHILOH, SIEGE CORINTH DANVILLE, PERRYVILLE, STONE RIVER, WOOD- BURY, CHICKAMAUGA: LOOKOUT, MISSION R G TUNNEL HILL, BUZZARD ROOST, ROCKY FACE, RESACA ADAIRSVILLE, CASSVILLE, N. HOPE CH. PICKETT S MILL, PINE MOUN- TAIN, KENESAW, MARIETTA, SMYRNA, CHATTAHOOCHIE, PEACH TREE CR., SIEGE OF ATLANTA, JONESBORO, LOVEJOY STATION. COLUMBIA, FRANKLIN, NASHVILLE.
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
Sixteenth Annual Reunion
OF THE
NINTH INDIANA
Veteran Infantry Association
HELD OCTOBER 2 AND 3, 1902 AT LA PORTE, INDIANA
FIRST DAY
The Local Executive Committee of the Veteran Asso- ciation, Comrades S. 1. Kessler, George 1. Badger and Lieut. Ed. Ephlin, having consummated in a very satisfac- tory manner all necessary arrangements therefor, the usual two days' meeting was accordingly held in the Hall of Patton Post, G. A. R.
The comrades, upon arrival at the Post fall, after reg- istering, were presented with a handsome souvenir badge, provided by the local committee, and given tickets for din- ner at a hotel or restaurant, and were subsequently as- signed to quarters for the night in the home of some hos- pitable citizen of LaPorte who had volunteered to enter- tain them. A reunion at LaPorte, where the Ninth is al- ways so warmly welcomed and handsomely treated.
3
brought back to the veterans many recollections of the rendezvous camp of the regiment there in 1861.
The Post Hall was quite tastefully and appropriately decorated. A number of the veterans were accompanied by their wives, and the two or three hours before dinner were very pleasantly spent in social converse, and in re- calling the incidents and experiences of the soldier boys of the Ninth while in Camp Colfax and subsequent service at the front.
Afternoon Session.
At the request of Elmore Van Winkle (son of Sergt. Van Winkle of Company B), a photographer of Walker- ton, Ind., the comrades of the regiment (then present) formed on the Court House Square for him to take a group picture.
At two o'clock the meeting was called to order by Comrade Whitehall, who introduced Gen. I. C. B. Suman, President of the Association. Gen. Suman said, on taking the chair, he was glad to again meet so many of his old comrades in LaPorte, where they first began to do duty as soldiers of the Union in August, 1861. The reverend gentleman assigned to open the meeting with prayer being absent. the President invited his good old friend and com- rade, Elder G. Brayton, former Chaplain of the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, to invoke the divine blessing. The ven- crable Chaplain seemed to receive inspiration from the presence of the veterans of the civil war, and in a most devout and fervent manner besought God's choicest bless- ings for the few short years yet remaining to them, for his comrades in the army of freedom and union, as men worthy of the special favor of the Commander of the Uni- verse, and devontly thanked God for the many blessings our reunited country now enjoys.
With Miss Cora Ephlin presiding at the piano, Mrs. C. O. Nelson of LaPorte sang beautifully the song always
dear to the heart of an American soldier, "The Star-Span- gled Banner."
Hon. Lemuel Darrow, mayor of the city of LaPorte, was next introduced, and in cordial and eloquent words bade the Ninth Regiment welcome once more to LaPorte, saying, among other things, "that when Ninth assembled at its rendezvous in Camp Colfax in August, 1861, and a few days later moved to the front to do manful battle for the preservation of the life of our Republic, he had not yet seen the light of day, but as a representative of the gen- cration born since the war, he was proud to welcome to his city a fragment of the regiment of whom the elder resi- dents of the city always spoke in warmest praise, and which the history of the State and Nation credited with unusual gallantry on the field of battle. He was pleased to not only welcome these men, but to say to them the city was theirs during their stay, and his fellow citizens would vie with him in every effort to make their visit a pleasant memory."
The President said: "The committee have empowered me to detail a comrade to respond to these eloquent words of welcome, and I now take pleasure in calling upon one of our comrades who in war was an excellent company commander in the Ninth, and in these days of peace has won credit as a jurist, and as my detail I call Hon. D. B. McConnell of Logansport to respond to the address of welcome."
Mr. Mayor:
When Gen. Suman gives a command, I am still, as in the days of the war, ready to obey. I will not question his judgment in detailing me to respond to your welcome. I think others would better have been called. But I will try to fili the detail. Sir, I thank you, for my comrades and myself, for your very generous welcome to LaPorte. We are pleased to rally the old regiment, or a fragment of it, in the city of our rendezvous in 1861. We marched from here, in September, 1861, to take the train for the front, a full regiment, making a fine appearance, new uni- forms and bright guns, high hopes and noble resolves. The people turned out until the streets and sidewalks were
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.
crowded, and everywhere were flags and patriotic decora- tions. The picture comes vividly to my mind to-day of that splendid greeting and hearty "God speed you" of the good people of LaPorte. Everywhere floated the red, white and blue. Everywhere was the waving of hands, handkerchiefs and flags, and everywhere was sympathy and love for the men who were going to do and die, for the cause of human liberty, free institutions and self-gov- ernment. Of the proudly marching one thousand men who went out from among you that day, cheered on by your kindness and sympathy, but a handful are here to-day to receive your kind greeting and generous welcome, and to exchange greetings among themselves. Those men went out from among you untried men and untried sol- diers; they did not then know themselves. They were uncertain then if they had the steadfastness of soul which would enable them to bravely and calmly face the events which war would bring, and if need be lay down their lives for the cause that was in peril. In the hearts of many was an awful fear, that in the storm of battle they might fail to answer the hopes of their dear ones who were cheer- ing them on so encouragingly.
These veterans come back to you to-day, sir, the rep- resentatives of what that thousand did in the great war. They have upon their banners a record which pales before the record of no other regiment which marched and fought in the great war. Of the great battles of the war, Shiloh, Stone River, Chickamauga, the battles around Atlanta, and of Franklin and Nashville, are inscribed upon its ban- ners. Its marches include campaigns in the mountains of West Virginia; transfer from Virginia to Nashville; from Nashville to Shiloh; Shiloh to Corinth, Miss .; south from Corinth; east through Alabama; north through Tennes- see to Franklin. Murfreesboro and Nashville; north from Nashville to Bowling Green: back to Nashville, and thence north to Louisville after Bragg; south from Louis- ville after Bragg to the Cumberland River, and on to Nashville; thence on the Tullahoma campaign, followed by the march into the mountains of Georgia on the Chicka- mauga campaign, and then the marches about Chatta- nooga in 1863. Then came the marches of the Atlanta campaign in 1864, where for 120 days the marching and fighting never ceased. Then followed the march back in pursuit of Hood, the march back to Chattanooga, thence to Pulaski, and north to Frankhm and Nashville. After
6
this the pursuit of Hood's army into Alabama, thence to East Tennessee. thence to Nashville again and then, after the war was over, from Nashville to New Orleans, thence into Texas with Sheridan, in all these marches and move- ments receiving honorable mention in the published re- ports for constancy, endurance and valor. The regiment has received special mention from all the commanding generals under whom it served. among whom were Nel- son, Hlazen, Palmer, Grose, Whittaker, Cruft, Howard, Stanley and Kimball. These veterans, sir, come to you with their record with confidence and pride, and accept your welcome in the belief that it is sincere on the part of yourself and people. It is true that this seems like boast- ing, and it has been said that soldiers meet at these re- unions to boast. That may be so; why not? Why should not these men tell of what they have done? They do not belittle that which was done by others. We are not claim- ing that we put down the rebellion. That was done by the Grand Army of the Republic, of which we were but an integral part. But we claim to have a record of duty well performed; and we mention it here in response to your generous welcome, because we know you will share with us in our pride in the record of the Ninth Indiana.
The warm greeting which you give us; the hospitality extended to us; the bright, kindly faces you turn to us; these waving flags and gay decorations, all prove to us we are dear to you, and are welcomed to your hearts and homes. Again, sir, in behalf of these war-worn men, I thank you for your welcome.
Mayor Darrow tendered a very cordial invitation to the veterans and their wives to take a ride on the new suburban electric railway line, assuring them that the Ninth Indiana Badge would entitle them to a free ride at any time during their two days' stay in the city. The mayor's invitation was accepted with thanks, and nearly every one attending the reunion enjoyed a ride about the city and out to Pine Lake.
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Officers' Reports.
The Recording Scerctary submitted the following:
I have the honor to report, that I kept a full minute of the pro- ceedings of our last reunion, and furnished same to the Corre- sponding Secretary, to assist him in compilation of. our annual report.
Respectfully submitted, J. M. HELMICK, . Recording Secretary.
I have the honor to report, that I compiled and had published by Dean Bros. of Chicago, our Annual Report. Am pleased to say the printing and binding has clicited nmch commendation from the comrades. The report was necessarily abridged on account of lack of funds. Receipts and disbursements by me were as follows :
Received from J. Bama. Treasurer. $50.00 Received dues from various members, as shown by schedule
herewith submitted, aggregating 7.50
Total receipts $57.50
CONTR 1.
By balance due me on last year's report. $3.31
By amount for stamp> for correspondence and mailing reports 7.00 Express charges paid on monument sheets. -45
Paid Dean Bros. for printing and binding. 400 reports 50.00
Paid same firm for printing reunion invitations of 1902. 3.00 Paid for 300 1-cent stamps for mailing invitations. . 3.00
Additional stamps and envelopes for invitations, etc 1.00
Total $67.76
Balance due Whitehall on overpayment .
$10:56
Respectfully Submitted,
ALEX L. WHITEHALL, Corresponding . Secretary.
Comrades :
I submit my report of receipts and disbursements for the year ending October 2, 1902 :
RECEIPTS.
To balance in Treasury, October 1, 1901 $1.00
Received at Mishawaka 54.50
Received since 2.50
Total $58.00
DISBURSEMENTS.
December 23, 1901, draft to Whitehall $20.00
January 2, 1902, draft to Whitehall 30.00
For drafts and postage. .28
Total $50.28
Balance on hand. $7:72
JOIN BANTA,
Treasurer.
On motion each of said reports was accepted and or- dered printed in the annual report.
Comrade S. 1. Kessler of the Committee on Erection of a Marker on the site of Camp Colfax, reported that the former site of the rendezvous camp had been taken into the city, and the committee had examined the ground with the view of selecting the spot on which to put the marker. But the streets being quite narrow, and no park or public lot being available in the subdivision, committee were un- able to make a selection. Possibly a portion of a lot might be purchased on which to put the marker. He thought the city in time might devise some plan of marking the site of the old camp.
Gen. Suman stated that he and other citizens of Porter county had been considering the plan of securing a large native boulder and placing it on the site of the camp, in suburbs of Valparaiso, of the Ninth while on veteran fur- lough in early winter of 1864. It was proposed to face a portion of the boulder and cut a brief inscription thereon, or of bolting a bronze plate with an inscription on it on the rock, and he felt sure that upon a conference with some of the old-time friends of the Ninth the scheme of providing a marker for both camp grounds could be car- ried into effect. On motion the committee was continued with power to act.
Lieut. Helmick, chairman of the committee having in charge plan of purchasing and marking the premises occu- pied by Gen. Milroy at Rensselaer at the time of his enlist- ment, reported that the matter of the purchase of the old
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Milroy homestead was under advisement by the citizens of Rensselaer, and he felt quite sure that in the near future the ground would be purchased by the citizens of Jasper county, and a public park laid out and improved thereon, and named "Milroy Park," in honor of the gallant old gen- eral. On motion the committee was continued, and Capt. Chilcoat having died, Lieut. Helmick was empowered to fill up the commitice and act in his discretion toward as- sisting in carrying out the plan proposed.
On motion of Capt. McConnell, the association pro- ceeded to select place of next reunion. Elkhart, after some discussion, was unanimously chosen, the association, how- ever, indicating a preference that the two next reunions (1904-5) be held at Logansport and Valparaiso, re- spectively. Moved and carried that the reunion at Elkhart be held on the first Wednesday and Thursday of October, 1903. The association next proceeded to an election of officers for ensuing year, with the following result:
President -- Gen. I. C. B. Suman, Valparaiso.
Vice-Presidents -- A. S. McCormick, Company A; Jones Grant, Company D; J. P. Baldwin, Company E; Lieut. Sam Dustan, Company F; Danl. Lynch, Company H; John N. Holliday, Company I: Samuel Landis, Company K; John W. Jackson, band; Levi Van Winkle, Company B; Jesse B. Drake, Company C: John H. Thornton, Com- pany G.
Executive Committee-Gen. I. C. B. Suman, Major J. D. Braden, Capt. W. Hl. Merritt. Sergt. A. Dils and Cor- poral H O. Kremer.
Corresponding Secretary-Mex. L. Whitehall, Chi- cago.
Recording Secretary-Lieut. J. M. Helmick, Wheat- field, Ind.
Treasurer-Lieut. John Banta, Logansport, Ind.
On motion, the Chair appointed the following Commit- tee on Resolutions: Major J. D. Braden, Capt. D. B. Mc- Connell, Lieut. Ed. Ephlin. Capt. Thos. Madden and S. I. Kessler.
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Capt. Thomas Madden offered the following:
RESOLVED, That Comrade George Van Auken be re-instated to full membership in this veteran association without prejudice. And that the Corresponding Secretary forward him a certified copy of this resolution.
The resolution was immediately seconded by Lieut. Sam Dustan.
Capt. Madden said: "My comrades, I think I can un- derstand how Comrade Van Auken, smarting for years under what he regarded as an unjust accusation, should use the language he did toward me at a former reunion, and I want him reinstated on our rolls without prejudice, and you will do me a personal favor if you pass this reso- lution without debate and by an unanimous vote." The resolution was adopted by unanimous vote.
Comrade Whitehall moved that Comrade H. O. Kremer be reimbursed for the material and making of a large chest for the preservation and transportation of the pictures and relies of the association. Whereupon Com- rade Kremer stated he would accept no compensation, but presented the chest to his comrades with his compliments. It was moved and carried that this association tender to Comrade Kremer its thanks for his generous gift. On motion it was ordered the Corresponding Secretary be paid the balance shown by his report due him for money advanced on publication, etc.
A letter was read from Col. G. C. Moody, regretting his inability, on account of ill health, to attend the reunion, and tendering his best wishes to his former comrades of the old Ninth. A letter from Lieut. Maugans, and letters from several other comrades were read.
After assignment to quarters had been satisfactorily made by the local committee the association took a recess till 7:30 p. m. to attend the Campfire at Hall's Opera House.
The Campfire.
Hall's Opera House, at which the Campfire took place. was very appropriately decorated for the occasion. Hang-
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ing in the center of the stage was a large and beautiful banner, on which was inscribed a list of the battles in which the Ninth Indiana participated. After the rendition of some fine music by the Opera House Orchestra, Secre- tary Whitehall introduced Gen. Saman as the toastmaster, and he called upon Rev. E. B. Widger, pastor of the Christian Church of LaPorte, to invoke the divine bless- ing.
Gen. Suman announced that
EDWARD F. MALLOY. ESQ.
had been selected to open the Campfire with an address, and Comrade Malloy at once responded with a very able and eloquent speech, of which we can only print a portion. The speaker, among other things, said:
"Never in my life was I more disposed to be modest and diffident than upon this occasion, as I stand in the pres- ence of these men, who, in time of national peril, wrought so mightily for this great Republic. 1. too. was a soldier, but I was yet a recruit when these men of the Ninth, in the carly battles in West Virginia and at Shiloh, had made the name of the "Bloody Ninth" a household word in the North. Months before I entered the war, your regiment had lost the first man in battle, as the very first martyr for the Union from this State. What a gallant record is yours, my comrades! (Repeats the long list of battles shown on the banner.) The world is familiar with the names of these great battles. They are written on the imperishable tablets of your country's history, and will endure for all time. When your forms have crumbled into dust, this record of your heroism and patriotism will endure. Some people say these reunions ought not to be held; that they tend to keep alive the fires of hatred. They know not what they say. Little do such people know of the common bond of sympathy that exists among the surviving soldiers of the Union and Confederate armies. In the fierceness of awful battle, the blue and the gray learned to respect each other. And now that the sons of the soldiers of both armies have fought side by side under the starry flag, as they did in the Spanish-American war, and in the Philippines, this feeling of respect and friendship has been intensified tenfold, and the bond of the American
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union more firmly cemented. This generation knows only of the great civil war as it reads it from history, or hears of that war from the lips of the soldier yet living Those were indeed inspiring times, 'when boys were made men by the flashing of a gun.' No foreign war could in- spire our people as did the civil war. It was battle for national existence."
The speaker strenuously insisted that Memorial Day observances and the speeches made upon such occasions had done very much to bring about the era of good feel- ing prevailing between citizens North and South, and to inspire a purer and unselfish patriotism among the whole people of this great and growing Republic. The speaker cited the pacific words of Lincoln in both his first and second inaugurals, and of the magnanimity of Gen. Grant at Appomattox, how strong was the bond of brotherhood existing during the fierce contention for the supremacy of our national Union. In speaking of the influence of Memorial Day in inspiring amity, unity and patriotism among the whole people of the Republic, the speaker said: "Now we strew the flowers not only upon the graves of the soldiers of the Union on this blessed Memorial Day, but on the graves of all soldiers of the Republic, from those of 1775 to those of 1902. And the custom in many places includes in a spirit of amity the decoration of the graves of the Confederate dead.
"The lessons of our recent war have not caused the soldier of '61 to '65 to depreciate any in the eye of the nation. On the other hand, the people of to-day have had a convincing object lesson given them. of what the soldiers of the civil war must have suffered in a struggle of four long years. With few exceptions, the men who have led our brave sons to victory in the West Indies and in the Philippines and China were the boy soldiers of the civil war. Behold the glorious array-Me Kinley. Dewey, Miles, Shafter. Schley, Sampson, Lawton, Wheeler, Lee and a host of others-who stand side by side with Grant, Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan, Farragut and Porter. Verily. if the boys of '98 and later years have suffered in defense of the flag, what must the boys of '6f to '65 have endured? Our Republic has not, my comrades, been ungrateful to- wards its defenders, as has often been urged. Up to June 30, 1898, three hundred million dollars more had been paid to pensioners than the total cost of the great civil war in which they fought. It is estimated that 36 cents of every
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dollar of revenue collected by the government goes to the pensioned veterans. No other nation has remotely approached such a generous recognition of the services of the men who fought its battles.
"Comrades of the old Ninth, I am truly glad to be with. you to-night and look into your faces and see pictured there the contentment which victories won and peace as- sured give. In our younger days, you and I wore the same coat of loyal blue, and marched beneath the same starry flag, and kept step to the music of the same grand Union of the States; we were soldiers then, and are com- rades now. As I am proud to be numbered as one of that great army of freedom that battle for God and human- ity and native land, so am I proud to greet you to-night, and bid you welcome to our lovely city, a city where, in 1861, you pledged your honor as men, and soldiers, to maintain the supremacy of the Federal Union bequeathed to us by our fathers.
"When I first looked upon the Ninth, in August, 1861, there was a number of the three-months men in your ranks, bronzed by service in West Virginia, and as I looked at your fine regiment, I said, in my boyish admiration, 'Truly, these are "real soldiers,"' and real soldiers you proved yourselves to be on many bloody fields afterwards. I met the Ninth next at Louisville in 1862, when I myself wore the uniform of the Union as a member of the Eighty- seventh Indiana, and met my young friend, George Bad- ger, whom I then looked upon as a veteran. Later as our regiment stood waiting in the gloom of night, the night before the first day's battle at Chickamauga, you passed by us, and to our usual query. "What regiment?' you gave the usual reply, 'Same old regiment -- only got new clothes,' and, while we were guessing, the deep tones of Col. Suman rang out, Forward. Smith!' and as you moved off into the night, I realized that the regiment I had first met at LaPorte in 1861 was passing by.
"Yours was the first regiment to leave Indiana and enter Confederate territory. Your campaigns in West Virginia, under the intrepid commander, Milroy, were arduous and honorable, and when you were sent west you were in effect veterans, and your behavior at Shiloh is a matter of which you and your State are justly proud, and, as many of you know, the G. A. R. Post here is named in honor of your chivalions young Adjutant. T. J. Patton, who died the death of a hero on that fateful field where so-
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