USA > Indiana > Reunion of the 9th regiment Indiana vet. vol. infantry association, 1892-1904 > Part 36
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LIEUT. SAMUEL SIDENBENDER.
Samuel Sidenbender was born in Ohio, Aug. 3, 1833, enlisted in Co. A, Ninth Indiana Infantry as corporal, and was successively promoted Sergeant, Second and First Lieutenant, and was honorably discharged with the lat- ter rank May 31, 1863. Comrade Sidenbender married in 1866 and engaged in farming in Edgar county, Illinois, and at the time of his death, May 11, 1902, was possessed of a fine body of farming lands near Paris, Ill., and was a highly respected citizen. He was prominent as an active member of Driskell Post No. 200, Department of Illinois, G. A. R.
JAMES W. SMITH.
Under President Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers in April, 1861, James W. Smith was the third man to sign the roll of Company A, Ninth Indiana Regiment. For nearly a score of years he was a trusted and faithful employe of the Monon road. He died at Lafayette, Ind., in December, 1902, at the age of 70 years.
Additions to Death Roll since Last Report.
Three Months' Service.
Co. K -- Capt. Dudley HI. Chase, died at Logansport, Ind., July 1, 1902.
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Co. A-James W. Smith, died at Lafayette, Ind., De- 1 cember, 1902.
Co. G-M. F. Chilcoat, subsequently Captain in 48th 1 Indiana Infantry, died at Rensselaer, Ind. .
Three Years' Service.
Co. A-Lieut. Samuel Sidenbender, died at his home near Paris, Ill., May 12, 1902.
Theodore Greiss-no details.
Charles Merica-no details.
Christopher Young-no details.
Co. B-Capt. John Craner, died at Geuda Springs, Kan., July 28, 1902.
Gustavus A. Thompson, died in Chicago, April 21, 1902.
Co. C-Frank Frush, died at Elkhart, Ind., June 10, 1 898.
Jeremiah Horn-no details.
Co. D-William Keely, died at Elkhart, Ind., Sept. 11, 1808.
Co. E-Lieut. Thomas Prickett, died at Ligonier, Ind., May 9, 1902. (See memoir.)
Co. F-Sergt. Joseph A. Evans-no details.
Chris Elwanger, died at Crandalls, Ind., June 21, 1900. Co. H-David L. Bryant-no details.
Adam Bell-no details.
Jonathan Edwards-no details.
Co. I-Sergt. Sherman Stebbins-no details.
Taylor Crampton-no details.
Ham Emmett-no details.
Co. K-Sol Smith, died at Logansport, Ind., Septem- ber 11, 1902.
Additions to Roster of Survivors.
Three Months' Service.
Pratt. R. H., Corporal Co. A, now Major in U. S. A. Supt. of Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, Pa.
Three Years' Service and Recruits, etc.
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Co. B-Edmund B. Smith, Sharpesville, Ind.
A. L. Hart, Laporte, Ind.
Co. D-Andy Wadel, Albert Lea, Minn.
J. M. McGinnix, Westville. Ind.
J. F. Hubar, Castleton, Ind. (Marion Co.)
Co. E-George H. Cleveland, New Carlisle.
Co. K-John B. Lewis, Elsinore, Carter Co., Mo.
Corrections of Roster.
Three Years' Service, Etc.
Co. B-John Vesper, Birmingham, Ala.
Ellis Palmateer, Michigan City, Ind.
Sergt. Levi D. Van Winkle, Walkertown, Ind. Peter D. Holmes, Soldiers' Home, Marion, Ind.
Joseph Herrold, Grimes, lowa.
Co. C-Lieut. Simeon Barringer, Mancelona, Mich. Ed. L. D. Foster, Kansas City, Mo.
E. Werts, 510 East Locust St., Des Moines, Iowa.
Co. D-Moses Richards, Argos, Ind.
Eli O. Williams, Bourbon, Ind.
Oscar Clark, 921 Vine St., Cincinnati, ().
Co. F-Henry Herrold, Grimes, lowa.
Co. E-Robert . Hall, Tefft, Ind.
George Wiliams, Hurlbut, Ind.
Co. F-Matt J. Day, 1313 Broadway, Cincinnati, O.
Co. K-Augustus Cook, Lake Ceicott, Ind.
Charles Johnson, Soldiers' Home, Lafayette, Ind. Wm. Banta, Logansport, Ind. (Rural route No. 7.)
The Milroy Memorial.
Lieut. John M. Helmick of Wheatfield, Ind., chairman of the Milroy Memorial Committee, influenced by his own admiration for Gen. Robert H. Milroy, organizer and first commander of the Ninth Indiana Infantry, and as the earnest and faithful representative of his surviving
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comrades of the regiment, in conjunction with citizens of Jasper county, has worked faithfully to secure in some way a fitting monument or memorial to General Milroy, to be erected at Renssalaer, Ind., where the General lived at the outbreak of the civil war. It now looks as if the old hero was to be deservedly honored after many years by the people with whom he was abiding when the call to arms came in April, 1861. Survivors of the old Ninth will read with much interest the following clipping from the Rensselaer Democrat lately received from Lieutenant Helmick:
The Common Council.
The city council met in regular session Monday even- ing, with all members present.
The Ladies' Literary Society reported $953 subscribed toward the purchase of the Milroy property facing the Washington street bridge for a public park. On motion of Councilman Ferguson it was voted that the city pur- chase the plat of ground for a public park for the city and that it be called Milroy Park. Said purchase to be subject to a good title made to the city by the grantors at the price of $1,900, provided the subscriptions of the citizens be raised to the amount of $1,000, the said amount to be collected by the Ladies' Literary Society or their order, and that the city be able to make such terms for the payment of the $900 as will be satisfactory with the pres- ent condition of the finances of the city. The balance of the money will be raised at once and the grounds pur- chased.
Lieut. Helmick feels confident that the grounds will be secured and "Milroy Park" laid out and in due time a monument to the old hero, Major General Robert H. Milroy, will grace the park.
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Officers of the Association
PRESIDENT. GEN. I. C. B. SUMAN, Valparaiso, Indiana.
VICE-PRESIDENTS.
A. S. MCCORMICK, Company A, Lieut. SAM DUSTAN, Company LEVI VAN WINKLE, Company B, JOHN H. THORNTON, Company G JESSE B. DRAKE, Company C, DAN LYNCH, Company H,
JONES GRANT, Company D, JOHN N. HOLLIDAY, Company }
J. P. Baldwin, Company E, SAMUEL LANDIS, Company K
JOHN W. JACKSON, Band.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
Gen. I. C. B. SUMAN,
Major J. D. BRADEN, Capt. WM. H. MERRITT, A. DIES, H. O. KREMER
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.
ALEX. L. WHITEHALL, 544 W. 61st Place, Chicago, Illinois, RECORDING SECRETARY.
Lieutenant J. M. HELMICE, Wheatfield, Indiana.
TREASURER.
Lieutenant JOHN BANTA, Logansport, Indiana.
OFAN BHOTHERS, BLANK BOOK A PRINTING CO., CHICAGO.
Minth Indiana 1Regiment
Veteran Volunteer Infantry Association
-
Proceedings
.of the ..
Seventeenth Annual Reunion
belo at.
Elkhart, Indiana
October 2 and 3, 1903
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REUNION
OF THE
NINTH REGIMENT
INDIANA VETERAN INFANTRY ASSOCIATION ..
Held October 2 and 3, 1903 AT
ELKHART, INDIANA.
-
FIRST DAY.
For the third time the Ninth Regiment Indiana Veteran Infantry Association met in reunion at Elk- hart, October second and third, 1903. At a reunion held in that city August 27th and 28th, 1884, the Veteran Association was organized and adopted a con- stitution and by-laws, providing for the holding of annual reunions. Gen. Robert H. Milroy (since de- ceased) was unanimously chosen first president of the association.
The seventh annual reunion of the association was held at Elkhart August 27th and 28th, 1890, and upon each occasion the veterans were so handsomely en-
K
tertained that the attendance at our late reunion in that city was quite large and enthusiastic, and an en- joyable meeting.
Major J. D. Braden, as acting chairman of the execu- tive committee, heartily supported by the other mem- bers of the committee and the resident comrades of the regiment, had made thorough arrangements for the free entertainment of all visiting veterans, and any members of their family accompanying them, and in fact made all the necessary arrangements to insure a successful reunion. The weather was simply superb, and the beautiful and prosperous city of Elkhart presented a very handsome and striking appearance. And the veterans of the Ninth, who were able to be present, will long remember the reunion of 1903 at Elkhart, as a most pleasant and thoroughly enjoy- able one.
The members of the regiment on their arrival in the city were escorted by resident comrades to Elmer G. A. R. Post Hall, and were there enrolled for assign- ment to quarters and provided with a neat badge. The youngest daughter of Major Braden, Mrs. Grace Braden Dentz, acted as enrollment clerk and was unanimously declared to be the best looking adjutant the Ninth ever had, and withal quite a capable one.
At noon all the veterans present, and the wives of such members as had brought the wife along, were escorted by the committee to Haskins' restaurant and provided with an excellent dinner, later they were assigned to quarters in the hospitable homes of Elk. hartans who supplied them with supper, bed, and breakfast. And it may be well to remark in this con-
2
nection that in each instance the welcome was a gracious one, and very many pleasant friendships were formed between the entertainers and their guests.
AFTERNOON OF THE FIRST DAY.
Shortly after 2 P. M. Maj. J. D. Braden called the meeting to order and stated he was advised that the President of the Association, Gen. Suman, was in the city, but had not yet reached the Hall, and as the time had arrived to begin the exercises designated on the program for the afternoon, he suggested it might be well to call a vice-president to the chair and proceed with the regular order of exercises. The members present expressed a desire to proceed, and at the request of the Executive Committee and of the Vice Presidents present, Maj. Braden acted as President pro tem until the arrival of Gen. Suman some minutes later.
Rev. Heininger of Elkhart invoked the Divine blessing in a few earnest words.
The Corresponding Secretary then read a letter from Capt. D. B. McConnell stating on account of being too ill he was unable to attend the reunion and respond to the welcome address. Major Braden announced on behalf of the Executive Committee that at the urgent request of the Committee, comrade N. V. Brower had consented to make the response. on behalf of his comrades of the regiment.
The Secretary then read a number of letters from absent comrades, expressing their regret at being un- able to attend, and sending hearty greeting to those comrades able to meet in reunion.
3
As a matter of interest to the comrades the Secretary read the following :
"INDIANA RAILWAY COMPANY-OFFICE OF VICE PREST. AND GEN. MANAGER, SOUTH BEND, IND.
NOTICE.
To Conductors on Elkhart local lines:"
Badges similar to the one attached hereto will be honored for transportation on the Elkhart local lines only, during the annual reunion of the Ninth Ind. Veteran Assn. October second and third, 1903.
J. Mc. SMITH,
Vice President and Gen. Manager.
REPORTS OF OFFICERS.
Officer's reports being next in order, the following reports were submitted :
To the officers and members of the 9th Regt., Ind. Vet. Assn .:
COMRADES : I beg to submit for my annual report : That I have had printed and bound our usual annual report of the reunion last held, and mailed a copy thereof to the members entitled thereto. And further report that the Schedule A, hereto attached, shows the amount of money collected and disbursed by me during the past year.
Respectfully submitted. ALEX L. WHITEHALL,
Cor'd'g Sec.
SCHEDULE "AA" -- RECEIPTS.
Dues received by Whitehall-J. H. Maugans,
$1.00, Chas. Kluck, $1.00, Alfred Shanna- han, W. H. Lintz and E. Werts, fifty cents each. .
$ 3.50
Donation by Comrade Kessler and others of the La Porte Com., being surplus after pay- ing reunion bills.
11.00
Received draft from Treasurer, John Banta. . . 55.00
Total Receipts. $69.50
EXPENDITURES.
Paid Dean Brothers for printing and binding
Reunion reports for the year 1902. $55.00
Paid for stamps for mailing reports. 5.00
Paid for large clasp envelopes for mailing re- ports. 1.50
5
Paid for stamps and postals used in corre- spondence. . 1.75
Paid for printing invitations for Elkhart Re- union. 2.75
Paid for box of small envelopes mailing invita- tions, etc .50
Paid for stamps used in mailing reunion in- vitations. 3.00
Total expended. $69.50 Officers and members of the Veteran Assn. of the 9th. Ind.
COMRADES: I have to report that I kept a minute of our reunion proceedings at La Porte and furnished the same to the corresponding Secretary to be incorporated in our annual printed report.
Respectfully submitted. J. M. HELMICK, Recording Secy. ELKHART, Ind., Oct. 2, 1903.
Comrades of the Ninth:
Your Treasurer makes the following report of re- ceipts and disbursements :
Amt. in Treasurer's hands Oct. 2, 1902 $ 7.72
Annual dues collected at La Porte. $39.00
Donation made at reunion. 23.05
Nov. 1, '02, of James Wharton and G. W. Campbell, $1.00 each. 2.00
Dues for 1902 from Capt. Marshall, Sam
Landis, Wm. Mclaughlin, J. Banta, Alf Porter, Jacob Barron, Geo. Friend and E. Cawood, 50 cts. each. 4.00
Total received. $77.27
DISTRIBUTED.
Oct. 2, '02, paid Whitehall balance due him . . . 10.25
Feb. 7, '03, draft to Whitehall and Exchange . 55.12
Balance on hand. $11.90 JOHN BANTA, Treasurer 9th Ind. Association.
6
On motion of Capt. Merritt the officers' reports were respectively approved and ordered printed in our next annual report.
On motion the chair appointed Byron A. Dunn, Capt. George K. Marshall and S. I. Kessler committee on resolutions.
On motion the association took a recess until 7 P. M. to reconvene in Campfire at Shiloh Field G. A. R. Post Hall.
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CAMPFIRE.
Shiloh Field G. A. R. Post Hall. Seven o'clock P. M. Assembly-by Post Bugler Comrade Avery Brown. Hall appropriately and prettily decorated for the occasion and filled with an appreciative audience. The Veterans were grouped in the front seats.
Major Braden called the meeting to order and said: Fellow-citizens of Elkhart, I take great pleasure in introducing to you the President of this association. Myself and comrades of the Ninth can say of him, he was a brave officer, and is a genial gentleman, He will now take charge of this campfire. Ladies and gentle- men, General Suman. (Applause.)
On assuming the chair Gen. Suman said: Ladies and gentlemen of Elkhart and my comrades of the old Ninth, I am very much pleased to be able to meet and greet you here to-night. These reunions and campfires of the old soldiers seem to grow pleasanter each year, and I feel that we shall all be well and happily entertained to-night. After thanking our Elkhart friends for their presence here to-night, excuse me from further remarks and we will start up this campfire according to program as arranged by our executive committee.
SECRETARY WHITEHALL: Mr. President, I desire before you proceed farther, to say a few words that I think will fit in right here. You, sir, are aware that bodies of men are controlled in their actions and de- liberations by some symbol of authority in the hands of their leader. On the firing line, sir, your good big flashing saber was the symbol of authority which we respected, and when you drew that trusty blade and gave the command "Charge," the Ninth Regiment as
8
one man sprang forward to the assault. In these days of peace, bodies of men no longer look to the unsheathed sword, for guidance in their action, but respond to the taps of the gavel instead. While visiting our old battlefields around Chattanooga last month, Comrade William Markel of Company I, who served with the Ninth from the first to the last of its service, was inspired to cut a briar root and a spice-wood stick on the spot on Lookout Mountain's rugged side where he and his comrades of the regiment forty years ago this fall, participated in the historic "battle above the clouds," and he has made this gavel. The mallet, as you see, is of briar root, and to the men who wore the blue, that brings to remembrance the nights when after a hard day of fighting or marching, they sat by the dying embers of the chestnut or cedar rail fire that had served to cook their supper, and with briarwood pipes they whiffed away their scanty store of Killiki- nick, and in the curling smoke wreaths seemed again to see the dear faces of the loved ones in the old far away Northland. The handle as you see is made of spice wood, and altogether this gavel forms a unique and appropriate instrument wherewith to control the action of our citizen soldiers, such as are to-night once more rallied under your command. My dear Colonel, on behalf of, and as the substitute of Comrade "Billy Markel," whom we all know is a better fighter than a talker, I now hand you this gavel, as a present to our veteran association. It strikes me, my comrades, that when Billy Markel conceived the happy thought of joining together these two bits of the soldier's "pipe timber" into a gavel for his regiment, he builded better than he knew. Wrought by the hand of a common soldier who carried a musket in the ranks of the old Ninth from the very beginning of the civil war to its end, it is meet that the raps of such a gavel, shall not only bring us to "Attention," but also draw our hearts into closer union as we again gather in reunion the broken fragments of our regiment. And as the lengthening shadows of life's evening falls upon our rapidly thinning ranks, may not this relic of
9
the "battle above the clouds" inspire us to take the touch of elbows as in days of old, and with dimming eyes turn our faces with feelings of undying loyalty to the dearest flag that ever inspired an American soldier to deeds of heroism. And may we in the after- noon of our lives, as upon that fateful afternoon, on old Lookout's rugged side, elimb higher and higher, till we stand with our comrades who have gone before, in the ranks of the reunited Grand Army, under our Supreme Commander in the bright sunlight of the eternal day.
GEN. SUMAN: We accept from Comrade Markel this gavel with thanks, and the audience will please rise, and let everybody join in singing "America."
After the singing of our National anthem, the presi- dent called for Past Department Chaplain Rev. R. J. Parrett to invoke the Divine blessing, but it was found that he was not present, and at the suggestion of some comrades who knew him, Rev. Bicknell was requested to pronounce the invocation.
The reverend gentleman, in a tender and fervent manner, petitioned the everliving God to bless the ageing veterans of the great civil war, who in a perilous hour bared their breasts to the foes of the National union and fought for the preservation of our govern- ment, to give liberty to the oppressed, and uplift the cause of humanity.
After Mrs. Milton Nash had rendered in charming manner an appropriate solo, the President introduced MAYOR GREENE -- who in a brief speech welcomed the Ninth Indiana, in substantially the following words:
Gentlemen of the Ninth Indiana, I consider it an honor as the Mayor of this City to welcome your regi- ment to the City of Elkhart. I am no speaker and will not be able to express to you as ably as the gentle-
10
man who will follow me and who has also been delegated to present Elkhart's welcome to you. He is a comrade of the Grand Army, and a representative citizen of Elkhart, quite well accustomed to public speaking, and I feel sure will be able to impress you with the fact, that Elkhart has a warm regard for the Ninth Indiana. As the Mayor of Elkhart I extend to you a cordial greeting, on behalf of our citizens, and I beg you for the time being to become one of us; our people will open their homes to you, feeling that they are indebted to your regiment for the good service you rendered our state and country in the great civil war. And in consideration of the fact that you were good soldiers our people will extend to you in their homes an honest hospitality. Nearly forty years have passed since the close of the great conflict for the triumph of freedom and union, in which your regiment on the bloodiest battlefields of the South made a record for bravery and devotion to duty which makes us people of Elkhart proud of you and also proud of the fact that Elkhart was represented by a company in your regiment. We have not forgotten the fact that our young men from this section of the state helped you bring to a successful close the great struggle for the maintainance of our government in a way cereditable to you and the State of Indiana. We are pleased to say that your old com- rades of Company C are many of them our most useful and highly respected citizens, and it is pleasant to have you meet these old neighbors of ours with whom you fought from '61 to '65, in a reunion here in Elkhart. I believe for the third time. We believe that you will enjoy your short stay among our people, and go from us convinced that you were indeed most heartily welcome to our city and our homes, and gentlemen, I want to say that I feel safe in saying as long as there are any of the old comrades of the Ninth able and disposed to meet here in Elkhart in reunion they will always find a cordial welcome.
JAMES S. DODGE, EsQ .--- a prominent lawyer of Elk- hart, and Past Department Commander of the Indiana
II
G. A. R., was next introduced, and spoke substantially as follows :
In addition to what our mayor has said I have been requested by many ex-soldiers and citizens of Elkhart, to extend to you men of the Ninth Indiana, an addi- tional welcome so to speak. Our folks want to em- phasize their regard for your regiment, by giving you a double welcome. Knowing some of you, and know- ing something of your regiment's history it is a pleasure to me personally to greet you on this occasion here in my home city.
You, comrades, who knew Elkhart in war times when it was a town of about two thousand inhabitants, find to your surprise the Elkhart of to-day is a busy bustling city of twenty-thousand people, with miles upon miles of well paved streets, great manufacturing plants giving steady and renumerative employment in the aggregate to several thousand of our people; we have also excellent schools, school buildings, churches, elegant homes and grounds, electric railways, electric lighting, and in short all of the up-to-date improvements, conveniences, and comforts of a modern city have come to Elkhart since the close of the war.
To you, gentlemen of the old Ninth, and to your comrades of your own and other commands, who served in the army of the Union, we are very largely, in fact almost wholly indebted for the enjoyments and advan- tages of this fine city. The success of secession and the dissolution of our National Union would have reversed the wheels of progress, and we can only faintly conjecture what might have been the condition of Elkhart and like communities had the dogma of state rightsprevailed and the dismemberment of the states followed, and the probable disintegration of the states themselves.
' As a matter of fact we never had a real united country until after the dangerous and disturbing dogma of state's rights had been shot to death on the great battlefields of the South, and General Lee sur- rendered at Appomatox. To-day the sons of the men
12
who then wore the gray, now wear the blue and wear it with credit to themselves, and as the gallant soldiers of this mighty republic are an honor to our reunited country.
It would be impossible and improper for me at this time to recount at length the achievments of your splendid old regiment. It is quite enought to say that at all times you and your comrades of the regiment did your whole duty as soldiers. That this grand government of ours and the flag of our fathers be maintained you suffered for four years as only patriots could suffer for the love of their country.
When the call for manhood and patriotism was made by our noble President, you men were among the first to respond to that call. And the soldiers of the union who emulating your courage and devotion went later into the struggle, are proud to give you the credit which is honestly your due. Again, it is much to your credit that you did not turn a deaf ear to your country's call when your three month's enlistment had expired, on the contrary, the men of the Ninth almost to a man, I am advised, either joined in the reorganization of the three year's Ninth, or enlisted in other regiments, and when your country needed faithful and well seasoned soldiers to carry on the war to a successful termination and called for the enlistment of veteran soldiers the Ninth Regiment re-enlisted as veterans to stay in the fight to the finish. Your purpose when you enlisted was to save the Federal Union, and estab- lish the supremacy of our National Government, and to secure the enforcement of the laws of our whole country, hence you remained in the very forefront of active warfare, until the war closed and your object as volunteer soldiers had been attained.
Soldiers of the war for the Union occupy to-day a most unique position as the men who fought out in the bloodiest drama of the centuries and settled once and for all the principle, that this republic of Washing- ton and Lincoln, is and must be one government with one flag and a common destiny. Men of the Ninth Indiana in the ages to come your deeds of daring and
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your steadfastness in the hour of supreme peril to the nation's life, in common with every good soldier of the Union, will be lauded by generations of men as the finest exhibition of splendid soldiery, manly courage, and of undying love and loyalty for your country and its flag, and for the right, that the world has ever known or is likely ever to know.
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