USA > Indiana > Reunion of the 9th regiment Indiana vet. vol. infantry association, 1892-1904 > Part 9
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This is the first moment after reading your letter, that I have been able to secure an opportunity to write.
There is not time before the mail goes, and I am anxious to have this letter in it, to reply at length, and with the attention which such a letter deserves. This I will do later.
General Fullerton has received the Indiana protest against the changes made by our Commission in certain of the inscrip- tions, and has written General Hunter asking for a statement of the grounds upon which objections are made, and the evidence to support the inscriptions as first written. General Fullerton asked for a prompt reply so that there may be as little delay as possible in pushing all your monument work forward.
While there is not time before mail leaving to respond to various points which you make, the two grounds upon which the Commission declined to approve the site for your regiment near the Tower on Snodgrass, can be very briefly stated.
Up to this time, there has been no deviation in the case of any Commission, where brigades remained on the field to the last, in locating all monuments, first, upon brigade lines, and second, where organizations did their most notable fighting.
Every Commission has conformed to these requirements, presented to them in all cases in our work, rather in the form of verbal suggestions and not in printed regulation. So far as I can remember, your request is the first one in which a State Commission has protested against such requirements.
If your request to be located on Snodgrass Hill, when not really engaged there, had been the first of its elass, the case would have been less difficult for us. But quite a number of regiments which were unquestionably well represented on the Hill during the whole afternoon, have been ruled off under the general plan of putting monuments where brigades fought. There were six such cases from a single State. So you see our difficulty. Then in your case, there were so many places of brilliant fighting, that it adds to the difficulty of making your regiment an exception to the methods which have been fol- lowed.
The site at the Brotherton House had not occurred to me, as no suggestion of putting your monument there had been made when you were on the ground. As the 41st Ohio was also on that line, and other portions of your brigade, there would be no conflict with the requirements heretofore mentioned. Such a position close to the Lafayette road, and the main road lead-
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ing to headquarters, would be very prominent and sightly, and could not be crowded by any other monuments. Your sug- gestions of that point seems to be an excellent one to me.
I thank you, Judge, for your full letter, and I will soon communicate with you more fully.
Very respectfully and truly yours,
H. V. BOYNTON.
CHICAMAUGA, Ga., Sept. 4, 1895. Hon. D. B. Mc Connell, Logansport, Ind.
DEAR SIR :- While waiting for Gen. Fullerton to come, Col. Cockrum and myself concluded that we would interview Boyn- ton and find how he stood in reference to your monument.
Boynton talked freely to us, gave us all the points why he thought it should not be placed on Snodgrass Hill. He said he could not let it go there without making fifteen other organ- izations mad from the State of Ohio that he had refused po- sition on that Hill. He gave us to understand decidedly that he was opposed to your going there, for the reason that if they let it go there, they would have to violate a rule of long stand- ing.
He told us that the protest had been referred to him and he should report against it, and that the Secretary of War with- out a doubt would follow his decision.
We found that he was dead against the protest and thought it useless for us to argue with him any further. We are sorry for it. If you get your monument on Snodgrass Hill you will have to apply to your Member of Congress, which we are of the opinion will be the right thing. We made a compromise settlement of the 82nd protest in this way, by saying that the 82nd was the first of Brannan's Division that formed a line on Snodgrass Hill, which line they heroically held against all assaults, until night put an end to the battle.
Respectfully yours, MORTON C. HUNTER W. M. COCKRUM. .
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Sept. 10, 1895. Gen. James R. Carnahan, Secretary Indiana Monument Com- mission, Indianapolis, Ind .:
DEAR SIR-In answer to your request for a final reply to the request of your Commission that the monument of the 9th Indiana Infantry may be located on Snodgrass Hill near the Observation Tower, I have the honor to say, that a full re- port upon the protest filed by your Commission is in course of preparation for the action of this Commission, and for sub- mission to the Secretary of War. It is delayed for the want
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of submission by your Commission of a written statement con- taining the evidence upon which the protest was based. This evidence was requested upon the receipt of your protest at this office.
While a final decision in the case of the 9th Indiana cannot be sent you until action upon the report above referred to, I have to say that upon examination of action had by this Com- mission, I have found that several strong and insuperable ob- jections exist to placing the 9th regiment where requested, which did not occur to me when I wrote that, unless objection of which I did not then know existed, I thought the Commis- sion would agree to your request.
Upon examination of the work of our Commission, it ap- pears that no exception has been made in a single case to the requirements that regimental monuments should be placed, first, on the lines of the brigade fighting, and second, where the best fighting was done. Every State Commission has cheer- fully conformed to this rule, including your own up to the time of this request from the 9th. This regiment did brilliant and effective fighting with its brigade on the Brock Field, at the Brotherton House, the Kelly Field, and on Snodgrass Hill close to General Thomas's headquarters. Instead of selecting one of these notable places of its fighting, it asks to be placed near the Tower on Snodgrass Hill, where it was not engaged, except possibly to fire a scattering volley, and where it was posted much less than one hour.
It also appears that five Ohio regiments, each of which fought. in considerable numbers during the whole afternoon on Snod- grass Hill have been ruled off of it and placed elsewhere on their brigade lines, because locating them there would come in conflict with the rule above referred to.
It is also a fact that the 9th asks to be placed fifty feet from where its stake was located by this Commission which intro- duces a new and important element that I had not received in- formation about when I wrote you. This change would carry the monument of the 9th onto ground already identified by and locations made upon it by the State Commissions of Vir- ginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina. The request of the 9th could not be granted with any fairness until these Commissions could be assembled even if this Commission was inelined to set aside the rules under which it has acted without an exception from the day its work began.
These are the chief reasons which will control this Commis- sion in declining to grant the request of the 9th Indiana. There
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are several others, but these of themselves, seem quite sufficient, and no doubt you will recognize their force.
Very truly yours,
J. S. FULLERTON, Chairman of Commission.
WAR DEPARTMENT, CHICAMAUGA AND CHATTANOOGA NATIONAL MILITARY PARK COMMISSION.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Sept. 23, 1895. Gen. J. S. Fullerton, Chairman Commission.
GENERAL :- In riding over the Park yesterday I found a number of tablets marking, or purporting to mark, Indiana positions in the battle, the inscriptions upon which are, in some cases, erroneous to a degree which would be ludicrous if they did not convey the impression to visitors who are informed about the battle that they were authorized by the National Commission. Many positions thus marked were trial positions put down when the work on the Park begun, and which have never been accepted by the Commission.
It is respectfully suggested that Col. Cockrum, who did the work for the Indiana Commission, be formally notified that no marker can be placed in the field until its proposed location and the proposed inscription for it, have been submitted to and approved by your Commission and the Secretary of War.
These markers, which designate second positions of battle, or positions other than the one chosen for the monuments, are equally as important to the history put on the field as the mon- uments themselves. The Indiana Commission are quite as much interested in this matter as the National Commission, and as now written and placed, both would be made ridiculous if tablets in stone should replace the temporary ones.
If you see fit, and deem the matter of the consequence which it has in my mind, please endorse this letter over to Colonel Cockrum, and send a copy of it, with such order as you think best to the Indiana Commission.
Very respectfully yours, H. V. BOYNTON, Historian.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Sept. 23, 1895.
H. V. Boynton, Historian, calls attention to temporary markers erected on the Park to designate positions of Indiana Troops, and recommends the matter to be called to the atten- tion of Col. Cockrum.
FIRST INDORSEMENT.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Sept. 25, 1895.
Respectfully referred to Col. Cockrum of the Indiana State
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Commission. It will be necessary to have the markers within referred to removed, as they were placed in position for the dedication only, and all markers should be submitted for the approval of the Secretary of War before being erected.
J. S. FULLERTON, Chairman of Commission.
Capt. Thos. Madden presented the resolution of which he gave notice yesterday and without debate same was unani- mously adopted, and on motion the resolution was verified by the signature of the President and Secretary and of all the com- rades then in the Hall, and same is as follows:
At a full meeting of the 9th Indiana Veteran Association, held at the "Lathrope Opera House," upon motion of Capt. Tom Madden, it was
RESOLVED, That it is the sense of this Association that the place for the monument of the Ninth Regiment Indiana Vol- unteers, upon the Chickamauga Park, is at the last position occupied by the regiment at the close of the battle, on Snod- grass Hill, at the stake west from the Observation Tower and the "little grave yard," and we approve of the action of the "Indiana Chicamauga Commission" in choosing that position, and insist that the monument shall be erected at no other place upon the field, until every effort shall have been exhausted in the honest attempt to establish our claim to that position.
JOHN B. MILROY, Pres.
ALEX L. WHITEHALL, Sec.
ENDORSED FOR POSITIVENESS BY
J. D. BRADEN, JOHN BANTA,
J. H. WATTS, JOHN N. HELMICK,
J. C. BARNES, HARVEY GIBBS,
A. S. MCCORMICK,
SAMUEL LANDES,
JAMES M. WHARTON,
TIMOTHY COMER,
EVERETT CAWOOD,
BENJ. B. FARIS,
P. M. BENJAMIN,
J. M. BARRON, AUGUSTUS COOK,
ALPHEUS PORTER,
JOHN W. JACKSON, C. S. KETCHAM,
CHARLES MERICA, HIRAM PETTERSON,
T. J. ROBINSON;
HENRY BURGESS, GEORGE FRIEND, J. EDWARDS,
L. H. BURNS,
W H. YOUNG,
S. I. KESSLER,
DAN LYNCH.
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Lieut. J. M. Wharton, of Company A, moved that inas- much as the Woman's Relief Corps of this District is now as- sembled in a delegate convention in another Hall in this city, that as a mark of our appreciation of the grand work of these loyal ladies in looking after the needs and comfort of comrades in distress, our president appoint a committee of five to call upon the ladies and tender our greeting and the good wishes of the Ninth Indiana. The motion was unanimously adopted and the chairman appointed as such committee, Capt. Tom Madden, Lieuts. Wharton and Faris, and Comrades Whitehall and Mc- Cormick, which committee immediately following adjournment at 11:30 a. m. proceeded to Odd Fellow's Hall, where over one hundred delegates of the W. R. C. were in session and were very courteously and formally received. The committee ten- dered the greetings of the veterans of the Ninth, the president of the convention replying to the brief speeches of the com- mittee in a very happy manner.
General Suman being unable to be present, sent the follow- ing letter:
VALPARAISO, Ind., Sept. 9, 1895.
Comrades of the Ninth Regiment :-- More than a generation ago we first assembled at Indianapolis as citizens and soldiers. From there we were sent to W. Virginia to do battle for our country's flag. During that service we destroyed Garnett's army that held that department of the State. Our service hav- ing expired, we returned to our homes to re-enlist and re- cruit our regiment to a maximum Regiment, After a few days we were again in camp at LaPorte and in a few weeks more we were again on the march for the country we had so lately left, with our ranks filled and our hopes buoyant as citi- zen soldiers of the Republic, though our regiment, a small factor in the great army assembling in the Northland from the pine woods of Maine, to the Pacific shores, that would soon march down over the Southland with the force of an avalanche and the swift destruction of the rumbling earthquake. Our regiment, though small in comparison with the great army en- listing, we had an honest pride that the Ninth would do well its part in the great drama of war about to be commenced. We had an honest pride that we would do our part fearless- ly and courageously in the great tragedy of war just com- menced, and each soldier, mindful of home, nerved by duty, fired with patriotism and ambitions of glory, became a hero.
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Change and stability have marked the intervening period; the faces that greeted us when we returned to our homes from the war, have passed away. A new generation greets us to-day. The people change, the welcome remains. The tide of human- ity surging along the shores of time is ever receeding, a new time is ever rushing shoreland, bearing upon its bosom the same human hopes, passions, and aspirations.
Our companions, where are they? The large majority are numbered with the dead. Some sleep beneath southern skies in unknown graves. Every Northland cemetery marks the hero's final resting place. Our ranks are being thinned day by day. The living are scattered here and there, up and down all over our broad land. Of the thousands that used to answer the roll call of the orderly in the field, scarcely fifty may meet with you today to answer, "here." Life's conditions and life's relations have changed, time has whitened our locks, wrinkled our brows, furrowed our cheeks, dulled our senses, withered our arms, palsied our limbs, robbed us of the strength of man- hood and the elasticity of youth, and we go faltering, trembl- ing, tottering, shaking, stumbling to the grave; yet to us re- mains the ties of comradeship. Friendship of camp, field, and hospital, memory of battles fought and battles won and battles lost, and in our dreams we hear the bugle call, the long roll, the cannon roar, the rattling musketry, and we behold wheel- ing divisions, advancing columns, the mad charge, the wild fury and the smoke of battle, and out and above the lurid flame of war the old flag gleaming resplendent with victory.
These ties of friendship, memories, dreams, are ours, nor life nor death can rob us of our blessed joys.
In the age of intense activities there is no rest, mind wars mind, intellect battles intellect, hearts conquer hearts, virtues fight vice, knowledge fights ignorance, liberalism fights big- otry, science deduces new truths, art creates new beauties, music sings sweeter strains, charity builds new institutions, education founds new universities, religion dedicates new cathedrals, amid all this turmoil and agitation that for which we fought abides as stable as the everlasting hills.
The heritage of our fathers is ours. The reunion of these States is one and inseparable, the constitutional government survives, the Nation lives, old glory floats, the eagle soars, the constellation shines without the loss of one star.
Liberty regenerated in war, liberty rebaptized in blood, is the laurel crowned Goddess of America.
Is this fraternity to last, is this unity to endure? If yes, then liberty shall live. If no, then this Republic is doomed. In
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our country's future are mighty problems, instinct with life and power and danger, to solve which will call forth all our patriot- ic Americanism. God alone adjusts the balances of justice.
I covet for my comrades of the war something that is be- yond the love of wife, children and comrades, a life invisible but immortal which awaits us beyond the last roll call.
Your comrade of the old Ninth,
I. C. B. SUMAN.
The hour for the selection of time and place of next reunion having arrived, Comrade T. J. Robinson nominated Hebron and Whitehall seconded the nomination. J. C. Barnes nom- inated Winchester and Edwards seconded the nomination. Hebron was chosen by a large majority. Sergt. Harvey Gibbs of Company H nominated Sergt. John Morrow for President. Lieut. Wharton seconded the nomination, and Comrade Morrow was unanimously elected president for the ensuing year. The following were then chosen Vice Presidents: Band, John Lath- rope; Co. A, Lieut. J. M. Wharton; Co. B, Henry L. Murray ; Co. C, Sam'l I. Kessler; Co. D, Everett Cawood; Co. E, T. J. Robinson; Co. F, Maj. Geo. H. Carter; Co. G, Lieut. B. R. Faris; Co. H, Dan Lynch; Co. I, Sergt. E. B. Chapin; Co. K, Alpheus Porter.
Lieut. J. M. Helmick was unanimously elected Recording Secretary, and Alex L. Whitehall and John Banta respectively were elected Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer by ac- clamation.
The following were chosen as Executive Committee: Sergt. John Morrow, Capt. D. B. McConnell,. A. S. McCormick, Gen. I. C. B. Suman and Lieut. Ben R. Faris.
On motion the balance of twelve dollars shown by his re- port to be in the hands of the Cor. Sec. was donated to him on account of services.
J. C. Barnes passed up a printed description of the Battle of Franklin, Tenn., Nov. 30, 1864, by a confederate soldier who was there, which was read by the Secretary.
Comrade Sam Kessler, of Co. C, offered the following res- olution which was unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED, That a vote of thanks is due from this Association and hereby tendered Comrade D. B. McConnell for his efforts and
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labors in behalf of the Ninth Indiana Infantry, and the State at large in placing the markers and monument of this regiment on the battle field of Chicamauga.
Comrade Whitehall offered the following:
RESOLVED, That the thanks of this Association are hereby tendered to Comrade John Lathrope for his generous donation of the use of his Opera House for our meetings. And to the commit- tee of members of the regiment residing in Delphi and vicinity for their efforts in making this a pleasant and successful reunion. And to his Honor Mayor Robinson, the Hon. L. B. Sims and to all other citizens of Delphi who by word or deed have contributed to our enjoyment and especially to the Glee Club we likewise tender the sincere thanks of the Ninth Indiana.
The Resolution was unanimously adopted by a rising vote. After singing 'God be With You till We Meet Again" the meeting adjourned sine die. Comrade Whitehall proposed that the regiment give our retiring President Major Milroy three cheers, which were given with a will.
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MEMOIRS.
CAPTAIN DAVID B. CREVISTON.
Born Jan. 18, 1837, Died Nov. 24, 1893.
David B. Creviston was born near Rum Village, St. Joseph County, Ind., being the second child of William and Jane Creviston who in the early part of the 30's came from Penn- sylvania to carve out a home and fortune in the west. This worthy couple of pioneers had thirteen children born to them, five of whom we are advised are now living.
Young Creviston received a fair common school education and had some mercantile experience, we believe, while yet quite a young man at Crown Point, Ind. Prior to the begin- ning of hostilities, he was in the South, and upon the breaking out of the war hastened north and enlisted in the three months service under the first call of President Lincoln, and upon the organization of the Ninth Indiana for the three year service, he became First Sergeant of Company D, by appointment of Capt. Amasa Jolison, and was later on promoted to a Lieuten- ancy, and at all times proved himself a brave, capable and faithful officer. Lieut. Creviston was severely wounded in the left shoulder by a rebel bullet within about twenty minutes after the bloody struggle at Chicamauga began, on Sept. 19, 1863. He was for many months a great sufferer, but by care- ful nursing was able in the latter part of 1864 to return to the army and was promoted to the Captaincy of his company and mustered out with it in the early fall of 1865. He had a splendid record as a soldier and enjoyed the fullest esteem and confidence of his comrades. Capt. Creviston, at the close of the war, returned to his old home and pursued the avocation of a farmer and was quite successful, and Feb. 7, 1871 he married Miss Alwilda E. Boone, of South Bend, a most amiable lady who survives him. He was, as an expression of the high regard of his fellow citizens and comrades, chosen Treasurer of his county for two terms and made a most acceptable and competent officer. He was for several years after leaving the County Treasurer's office connected with the Birdsell Manu- facturing Company, and several years ago formed a partner- ship with Mr. John Singler under the firm name of Singler & Creviston in the hardware business in South Bend, and the last
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day upon earth of our gallant and faithful comrade was spent in his store in the routine work usual with him. When he re- turned to his comfortable home that night he was feeling sick and tired and complained of a severe pain in his head, but as he had been a quiet sufferer for years from his wound and dis- ability contracted in the service, his family did not feel uneasy. Upon attempting to arise in the morning, Comrade Creviston with an exclamation of pain sank helpless to the floor, and though wife and sons again placed him in bed and medical aid was quickly summoned he sank very rapidly and expired a few minutes after eight o'clock that morning.
Capt. Creviston left two sons and two daughters and his good wife to mourn his sudden demise. Many, very many of his old comrades learned with deep sorrow of his death. He was an excellent soldier, an honest and exemplary citizen whose loss is keenly felt.
CAPT. JOHN T. POWELL.
Born Oct. 26, 1835, Died May 27, 1893.
The subject of this sketch was born in Wayne County, Ohio. Am unable to state when he removed to Indiana. He mar- ried Sarah A. Pontius (who survives him) at Niles, Mich., May 17, 1856, and later removed to Logansport, Ind., where on April, 1861, he enlisted in Company K of the Ninth Indiana In- fantry for the three months service, and subsequently served in the 13th Ind., and a little later became a Lieutenant and Captain in the 128th regiment of Indiana Infantry. His record as a soldier and officer is a good one and his death after years of patient suffering resulted from disease contracted in line of duty. Capt. Powell was prominent in the Grand Army and Masonic fraternity and was laid to rest by these organizations.
His son, Schuyler Powell, is a well known business man the proprietor of the Marble Works at Logansport, and designed and built the handsome soldiers monument in that city. An- other son, Sherman Powell, resides at Patterson, New Jersey. The widow and a married daughter, Mrs. Milo Harley, reside at Logansport.
GEORGE W. BAKER. Born June 22, 1844. Died Jan. 5, 1893.
Comrade Baker was born in Pennsylvania and when an in- fantremoved with his parents to Ohio where he lived until 1857, when he removed to Delphi, Ind., and enlisted in April 1861 in Company A of the Ninth Indiana and subsequently re-en- listed in same company for the three year service, and the
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staunch young patriot re-enlisted as a verteran and was mustered out with his regiment. In the Shiloh campaign, Baker con- tracted varicose veins from which he suffered all of his life. He was twice married His last wife who was a Miss Laura Stoner, and three children survive him, living at Detroit, Mich., where he died at above date, after a few days illness of pneu- monia. Two daughters by his first wife, live in Indiana, He was an excellent soldier.
WILLIAM BRINTON.
Born Jan, 30, 1831. Died August 13, 1894.
Comrade Brinton was born in Chester Co., Pa. He was a man of more than average intelligence and ability, in fact blessed with a versatility of talent, and genial disposition which readily won him warm friends. We are not advised when he came to Indiana. We only know that himself and his brother Joseph, afterwards Captain of Company G in the three year service, enlisted with Captain, afterwards Gen. Milroy in Com- pany G of the three months Ninth, and re-enlisted in the three year organization. And William veteraned and was with the regiment from start to finish, and with his ability and readiness he was fitted for the straps of an officer, but he declined pro- motion saying all he asked of the Government was his good Springfield Rifle. Comrade Brinton was a true patriot, brave, intelligent and faithful soldier, always ready to do his own du- ty and do it well, and take the place of an ailing comrade or share his last hard-tack with a comrade. A good penman, ex- cellent story teller and a ready and witty speaker, "Uncle Billy" was a favorite with the boys, and the officers as well. Candor compels us to state that like many of his open, frank friendly disposition, he had been ensnared by the demon of strong drink, and realized all too keenly that this habit unfitted him to take the proud and responsible part in either military or civil life which his ability fitted him for, could he have thrown off in time the thraldom of intoxicants.
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