The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-01-14
REPLY OF MAJOR BELkNAr.

The many marks of approval and mani
festations OF regard which have received,
Sir, from the "City Rifles since l be-
came member Of the Company, were
amply sufficient to satisfy the ambition of
any man, without adding to the already
overlooking measure Of my obligations, the
testimonial Of these splendid gifts. For
the language you have used, Sir, in refer.
ence TO myself, thank you, and especially
for the eloquent tribute you have paid the
memory Of my honored father. From
the bottom Of my heart, gentlemen of the
Rifles, thank you, for this renewed as
surance of your esteem Were / to say
that / am not proud of these gifts, it
would be affectation;-but | affect moth
| ing when I say, that | am prouder fer of
the place | held in the feelings which
prompted this presentation. Linked to-
gether, as We have SO long been, by the
ties Of mutual intercoursc-devoted, as
We have been TO the duties and purposes
Of our organization; acquiring as Com
pany, proficiency in drill Of which you
need not be ashamed; attached to each
other by all the associations that gather
around a Company like ours-we have
learned to love each other; /, at least,
gentlemen, have learned to love you-and
forgetting now all the little trials and
troubles and annoyances which would at
times arise in spite of ourselves, recall
none but pleasant recollections. When
ever hereafter | look upon that bright
blade, | will see mirrored there the memo
ries Of this hour-nemories which will
nerve the hand that holds this hilt and
will cause me to see that when this sword
is returned to be handed down, grateful
relic, to HIM who bears my name and my
fathers, it be furnished, If at all. only BY
time. but never by dishonor.
, The State Of Iowa doing homage TO the
cause, and laying her gifts of patriotism a,
, the shrine of the Country, has freely Civ
en- her sons to the armies Of the Union
and in the blood Of Springfield, Blue Mill,
. and Belmont have the First, the Thire
t and the Seventh been baptised. or thu
j future, no man can speak, but the mate
+ rial Of which the Iowa Fifteenth Is com
, posed gives evidence that they will sus
: tain the fame of those who have gone be
fore, and that the motto Of our State
! s'0ur liberties We prize-our rights Vi
Q will maintain" will be safe upon it's stand
ards. True men fill the ranks Of that reg
! iment who will lot fail or falter when tn
/ time Of trial comes. AT times, gentlemen
! the ties that bind man to home seem to
t strong to burst; III lder aft c.ions tina
: cluster around family and friends and fire
! side, cling closer than ever; but when h
! has for comrades, men who will stand sid
!, by side and shoulder to shoulder, rs vii
Il / believe. the officers and men Of the low
. Fifteenth, the proud consciousness Of wor
Q to be performed, Of duty to be done, an
i Of true hearts to do it, relieves somewh,
! TIC sorrow Of the parting,
: Brothers Of the Rifles! the honors {
y this hour can never be repaid by me.
. can only again and again thank you, m
8 always offer earnest wishes for your we
) fare and sincere prayers for the fnlfllmer
1 of yeur highest hopes, Farewell. Th
Z hour has come The citizens Of Iowa Al
i fast becoming the soldiers Of the Unior
! her youth are becoming her men, and 500
the dust Of the highways Of military lii
! will conceal from our light the famiIis
] folds Of other days. Relying upon th