USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > History of the 127th regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers > Part 24
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ADDRESS OF COMRADE WILLIAM H. SIPLE. As President of the Association,
"DEAR COMRADES :- I thank you for the confidence and honor conferred on me, in elevating me to the presidency of the Regimental Association, and let me assure you that I thoroughly appreciate it, and feel dignified by the fur- ther fact that I was only a private in the service, and I am consoled by the great fact that the post of private was the post of honor.
"It is delightful to meet together in these annual re- unions. Our ranks are decreasing each year, and in a
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very few years the announcement will be made that the last member of the 127th Regiment has joined the ma- jority. Let us hope that such time is far, far distant, and while we have the opportunity, let us embrace the advant- age of greeting each other fraternally in our annual re- unions.
"I again thank you for the honor of your confidence."
At the annual reunion of the Association at Hummels- town in May, 1898, Comrade John L. Whisler, of Middle- town, Pa., late of Company "H," was elected president of the Association for the ensuing year. Unfortunately, when the annual meeting of the Association was held at Middletown in May, 1899, he was incapacitated from oc- cupying the chair on account of severe illness, very much to his regret, and that of his fellow comrades.
On learning of the illness of Comrade John L. Whisler, who had been elected as the eleventh President of the As- sociation at Hummelstown, Col. Alleman and Comrade Siple, as a Committee of the Association, visited him at his Middletown home, and found him confined to his bed with acute inflammatory rheumatism ; but he dictated this message :-
GREETING OF COMRADE JOHN L. WHISLER, As President of the Association.
"COMRADES OF THE 127TH REGIMENT :
"Profoundly grateful for the distinguished honor which you conferred on me in elevating me to the highest position in your gift, as an Association, it is with very great regret that I am compelled to forego the pleasure of
JOHN L. WHISLER. Private Co. "11," 127th Regiment, P. V. Middletown, P'a.
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occupying the chair to-day and presiding at your deliber- ations. My heart and soul are with you, the spirit is will- ing; but the flesh is too weak to permit my presence to- day.
"I feel a very great interest in the Association, and it seems to me that the older I grow, the fonder I become of each successive reunion, when I can meet my comrades face to face, and grasp the welcome hand.
"I know that you will excuse me from fulfilling my duty in the face of an absolute impossibility to leave my bed, much as I would like to do so, to fill the chair which is the height of my ambition.
"Wishing you all good cheer, and trusting to be with you at your next re-union, I shall think of you kindly, and only, as one comrade can think of his fellow comrades."
ADDRESS OF COMRADE LEVI F. HEICHER, As President of the Association,
"COMRADES :- While I am not a candidate for the pres- idency of the Association, your unanimous vote calling me to the chair makes it obligatory upon me to accept the honor, for I am too good a soldier to disobey orders.
"I am glad to meet you again, and I know that I express the sentiment of each and all of you in declaring that 'it is good for us to be here.' These reunions are delightful, and bring back some of the pleasant reminiscences of by- gone days. It is true that we had privations, that we en- dured hardships, and that we suffered pains and aches; but we tried to do our duty ; and now have the proud con- sciousness of being 'honorably discharged' soldiers of the great Civil War.
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"Comrades, I thank you for your confidence, and trust to merit your expectations as your presiding officer. I shall rely upon your generous assistance, and it will be my aim to follow closely in the footsteps of those illustrious comrades who have graced the chair before me; and I as- sure you that when you meet with the comrades in Steel- ton, you will be met with a hearty welcome by them, and the citizens in general.
"May our meetings in the future be many, and our comradeship grow stronger."
ADDRESS OF LIEUTENANT ALBERT J. FAGER. As President of the Association,
"COMRADES OF THE 127TH REGIMENT :- It is a distin- guished honor to be President of this Association, and I appreciate that distinction very much, as it is an honor that is made more prominent by an unwritten law of this organization, that, passing the chair, fills the measure of compliment and dignity which this Association is able to confer.
"I am happy, comrades, to welcome so many of you this afternoon to this thirteenth reunion of the survivors of our old regiment ; and am particularly pleased to learn from the adjutant, in advance of his report, that death has treated our comrades so lightly during the past year.
"Thanking you one and all for your generous partiality in raising me to the chair ; and as your presiding officer, you have my solemn assurance that I properly appreciate the great honor conferred upon me, and with your help, in the future, as you have given it in the past, I will take pleasure in doing my utmost to further the interests of the
a
LIEUTENANT ALBERT J. FAGER.
First Lieutenant Co. "B. " 127th Regiment, P. V. Alderman, Harrisburg, Pa.
1
ND
CAPTAIN HENRY T. EUSTON. Sergeant Co. "K." 127th Regiment, P. V. Superintendent, Lebanon, Pa.
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Association. I will try to preside over your deliberations with the same impartiality which has so uniformly charac- terized the rulings of my predecessors."
ADDRESS OF CAPTAIN HENRY T. EUSTON, Late Sergt. of Company "K," as President of the Associa= tion.
My comrades did me the honor of electing me Presi- dent of the Association in my absence, which fact only adds to the pleasure of feeling the kindness of their par- tiality.
I fully endorse the action of the Association in conclud- ing to prepare and publish a history of the 127th Regi- ment ; and without making any invidious distinction, our regiment made a creditable record, equal to any, and second to none of the short term Regiments-having par- ticipated in two of the greatest battles of the late Civil War,-the Regiment is entitled to historical recognition ; and the gallantry of its brave boys deserves to be spread upon the records of the country for the gratification of the surviving participants, their families, and their friends, and for the information of the general public.
That work has been completed under the careful pre- paration of the Committee, and the Association has no cause to blush for the significant part which they took in the great struggle for the restoration of the seceded States back into the Union.
The history adds luster to the reputation of the Com- rades, who made so many sacrifices in their youthful days for the preservation of the Government, and we all feel proud that we made our individual contribution to that grand record.
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EULOGY ON THE DEATH OF COL. WM. W. JENNINGS,
And His Deceased Comrades, Delivered By Colonel H. C. Alleman, at the Sixth Reunion, Held at Steelton, Pa., in May, 1894.
"The beautiful theory has been advanced, that spirits of the departed may return and enjoy, unseen, the places fa- miliar to them in life. If that be true,-and I have heard no reasonable refutation of that doctrine,-then we have with us to-night as honored, though unseen guests, a host of our beloved comrades-700 strong,-marshaled andled by their gallant commander in life, enjoying with us, the sixth re-union of the Association, commemorative of the thirty-first anniversary of our second entry into Freder- icksburg, and the Sunday battle of Chancellorsville. What an interesting and inspiring picture it would make! How we all wish that it could be plainly materialized ! How charmingly it would remind us of 'Auld Lang Syne!' Thirty-five score and more familiar faces of our old com- panions, many of whom have been hidden from us, lo! these many years.
"In the van, leading our comrade heroes, we would see the manly form of the gallant Colonel who twice led us into battle, and brought us out safely; not without danger; not without casualties,-great and irreparable ; but with both honor and glory.
"Now let us view this grand panorama poetically before us! Here is the familiar face of Colonel William W. Jen- nings, though etherealized and spiritualized, it has plainly stamped upon it the impress of his noble traits of character ; calm, cool and . collected ! Brave without being impetuous; courageous without being either unwary or obdurate: self-reliant and assuming re-
4
HON. H. C. ALLEMAN. Late Military Governor, Gettysburg Battlefieldl. Representative and U. S. District Attorney. President Alleman Law Company, New York.
THE NEW YORK 1
T1_2 K
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sponsibility, without egotism, or without ignoring the counsels of his associate officers; a clear brain, a sound judgment; a splendid, if not unique example to his fellow officers and men; having the courage of his convictions, but subordinate to his superior officers ; thoroughly patriotic, and imbued with his duty to his gov- ernment ; without ostentation, or the semblance of dema- gogy; with a religious reverence for his flag; a fa- therly care and deep concern for each and every man in his command-knowing his duty, he performed it ably, conscientiously and faithfully.
"His life was gentle, and the elements So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up And say to all the world, 'This was a man.'"
"He had the united and loyal confidence of his officers ; the respect and affection of his men, and by his superior ability, and by the force of his indomitable will, he remov- ed obstacles, and conquered opposition. Is it in the least marvelous that such a born leader of men should be suc- cessful, or accomplish the wholesale capture of the hearts in his command ?
"None knew him, but to love him; None named him, but to praise."
"With him, we see the intrepid Awl, calm, dignified, self-possessed, fully aware of his resourceful powers, he felt himself equal to any emergency. His example of the Christian soldier inspired his men with confidence and courage, making him the appropriate idol of Company "B."
"There is Chaplain Gregg, cheery as of yore, asserting himself, and always ready to preach a sermon to the boys,
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carry their letters, visit them in the hospitals, or ac- cept the hospitality of a good dinner.
"There, too, is the genial and heroic Captain Fox, be- loved by all who knew him, and the first victim in the reg- iment of the enemy's shells.
"Here is the big-hearted Captain Ball, with the regula- tion military salute ; and a kind word for everyone. As a drill-master he had no superior, and but few equals.
"There is Captain Henderson, always loyal and true, not only to his friends, but to the sacred colors of the regi- ment, which were confided to his keeping, and returned without a stain. With him is the courteous and gentle- manly Captain Nissley, looking every inch the soldier, which he proved himself to be. He was Nature's noble- man.
"There, too, is Captain Shott, always distinguished for his quiet and unobtrusive manner; and with him is the heroic Knisley, as brave a soldier as ever breathed the breath of life. Here come Lieutenant Shoemaker, Lieu- tenant Orth, Lieutenant Reed, Lieutenant Novinger, Lieutenant Carmany, Lieutenant Osman, Sergeant Hum- mel, Orderly Boas, and the many, many others whom we loved so well in life, and whose memories we honor in death.
"Their numbers are annually increasing ; while ours are correspondingly decreasing. They are anxiously looking for us to join them, answer roll-call again, and show the 127th Regiment full and complete ;- they knowing, as do we, that we are all numbered for enrollment with those of our brave comrades who have 'gone on before.'
"Our re-unions are positively refreshing, and joy the hearts of every attendant. The fraternal greeting, the kind and friendly word exchanged, the hearty grasp of the
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hand, are all thoroughly relished by every comrade. But, while we think so kindly of the living, we do not forget that we are all old soldiers, and we have a lively recollec- tion of the hardships and privations which we endured, the pains and aches which we suffered on the tented and on the battlefields ; but our liveliest and fondest recollec- tions are of the dead comrades whom we shall never see again as mortals; whose cherished names, and affection- ate memories are indelibly stamped upon our grateful hearts, and will continue to feed our hungry thoughts to the latest moments of our prolonged existence.
"It is one of the constitutional features of a soldier's composition to stand, or fall, with his comrades. While we live, whether in the joys of prosperity, or the throes of adversity, nothing will tempt us to forget our duty to- wards the dead; and the time will never come, my com- rades, when we will permit to fade from our loyal hearts, into the depths of ignoble obscurity, the honored name, the immortal fame, and the beloved memory of Colonel William W. Jennings.
"From time immemorial, it has been the beautiful cus- tom to mingle with tears for the beloved dead, eulogies of their eminent virtues and of the noble acts of their well- spent lives. The Greeks worshipped the memory of their illustrious dead in classic elegies; the Romans immortal- ized their heroes in superb orations,-which, for eloquence and elegance of diction has never been excelled,-while many of the great poets like Shakspeare, Milton, Dante, Tennyson and Longfellow, seemingly by inspiration, have beautified and emphasized the heavenly truth of Bible teaching, that there is a higher life; that while selfishness is human, living for and loyalty to others, is the highest type of refined greatness, and reaches the pinnacle of the God-like.
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The soldier hero has in all ages, appropriately com- manded the admiration of the world. His bravery, his courage, and his heroism have inspired the silver tongue of the orator, and the facile pen of the poet, from the earli- est days to the present. The savage chief measures great- ness by the number of scalps dangling from the belt ; while the Koran impressively teaches the follower of Moham- med the prophet, that death upon the battle-field is an ab- solutely sure passport to the realms of everlasting bliss.
"When I was a lad of seven or eight years, I found a singular picture in the street. It represented, in bright colors, the antipodes-Heaven and Hell-with two great processions of humanity, the one ascending, and the other descending. My eye quickly caught the figure of a soldier in uniform, and riveted my attention. My judgment was that he was misplaced-as he was in the downward stream -while I concluded that he should be conspicuous in the upward column, as I had been taught, and felt, that a sol- dier who devoted his life to his country was entitled to the rich reward of eternal happiness. Angered at what I thought a very great injustice to the soldier, I indignantly tore the picture into shreds, and proudly scattered the fragments to the four winds of heaven. Comrades! let me say just here, that I am not sure that I have changed my opinion, or belief. The patriot who voluntarily sacri- fices his life, and all that he holds dear, upon the altar of his country, will not likely be sacrificed by a just and mer- ciful God in the great hereafter.
His reward is the greeting of the Great Judge-"Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joys of thy Lord."
"How well we all remember the last time our beloved Colonel met with us at our fifth reunion at Middletown.
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He was late, and we halted for him. He received an ova- tion, and walking next him, he expressed to me his de- light at the spontaneous and gracious greeting with which he was saluted. He was unusually cheerful, and said that his attachment to the old regiment was growing on him; and that his interest in the Association was greater than ever. How well he spoke when we called for a speech ; and none of us then for a moment thought that it was his last, his farewell speech.
We then boasted that the three original field officers wlio were mustered in together were yet alive, and in the best of health, promising many long years of usefulness; but little did we think that at the next re-union we would motirn the loss of our gallant leader.
"There is a vacuum on this platform. Yonder vacant chair appeals silently and painfully to our hearts, and breathes volumes of eulogium. It speaks with a fervid eloquence, surpassing the beautiful imagery of the best chosen words. I believe in the 'eternal fitness of things,' and were I to consult my feelings and the sacredness of the moment,-silence would reign supreme, as the sol- emnity of the occasion both justifies and sanctifies the bated breath in this, the virtual presence of the immortal dead. If I had my choice, in solemn silence, I would let the agonized hearts of my fellow comrades thrill the bit- terness of their anguish ; and I would allow only the in- spired pen to write the praises, well deserved, of Colonel William W. Jennings."
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