Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1864-04-07
Soldiers Supper.

casion Of an elegant supper on Thursday
evening last The ladies' had made prepa-
rations to receive them on. the preceding day,
but owing to delay at Madison, and the bad
condition of the roads between this place
and Arena, they were unable to reach here
till Thursday afternoon. Thirty-6ve men,
bers of the company accompanied Captain
Wilson to town, and after an hours interim,
marched in order to the basement of the N.
E. church, where they were received by the
ladies at the head of loaded tables, with
the following address by our townsman Mr..
j. A. SLYE.
SOLDIERS of Co. "C:"--In behalf Of your
citizen friends of Dodgeville, but specially
on this occasion, in behalf of the ladies of the
Soldiers Aid Society, under whose auspices
we meet tonight, | give you welcome home.
Assured welcome from privations endured,
tolls sustained, and victories won; thrice
welcome in your brief respite from contest
with treason almost overthrown, to this
your home in the Republic now nearly
saved. With the banner which we pre-
sented to you on your departure to the
field, there went our most fervent aspirations
for your gallant defense of violated gov
eminent, and endangered nationality Then
you had our warmest sympathies in your
separation from the peaceful ties of home
and kindred, our tenderest solicitude for
your safety and preservation amid the
hazards of camps and the perils of battle.
This entertainment to which on your first
return you are the honored guests, is but
the simplest testimonial of the rejoicing
with which we now greet you, the tried
veterans of success in sacred cause Yo"r
valor, your firmness, your answering
loyalty inspire every true heart with pride.
Our lasting gratitude is due to you for your
honorable share of service and of sacrifice
amongst the brave defenders of nations
life. need not recount in detail the his
tory of the gallant 18th Reg't since it's de-
parture from the capital Of our State to the
time of its fortunate return with the late
triumphant expedition under Sherman
We know that historyto be unsullied by any
act of cowardice or disloyalty. In advance,
or retreat, you have evinced equal heroism.
Whatever have been the events of your
career, We know that you have been faith
full to freedom, and to the cause which you
espoused in arms. Untried and undiscip.
lined, you left the pursuits ofindustry, and
the comforts of home. You have met the
hardships ofcamps, the fatigue Of marches
and the terrors of battle with equal forti-
tude. You have ever been ready to pour
out, for ought you knew, your life blood in
the undistinguished ranks, to follow the
call of duty up to the lannon's mouth-you
who could have been prompted by no hope
of gain, and who could not promise to your.
selves the need of individual fame. Such
Soldiers, is your noble history, now extend
cd through nearly three years of service
Thus tried, thus proved is there left another
laurel for the wreath with which we to night
entwinc your brows Yes, there is still
| another not less fresh and unfading, one
which symbollzes all that has passed of this
history, and all Of it that is to come. You
| haze re-enlasted for. the aoaa 1t is cause
of congratulation to you and to ourselves
and of profound gratitude to an overruling
Providence, that comparatively so many
of your number have survived to complete
this crowning act of your late term Of ser
vice. Fourteen of your comrades having
languished with the diseases of camp, hav,
rendered the final sacrifice which patrio
may lay upon the altar of his country. I,
them belongs the perpetual epitaph ofheroes
GLOW sleep the brave, who sink to rest,
! BY all their Country's wishes blest
When Spring with dewy fingers cold
Returns 20 deck their hallowed mold,
| She there shall dress q sweeter sod,
Than Fancys feet have ever trod
| There Honor comes pilgrim gray,
To bless the turf that wraps their clay.
And Freedom shall awhile repair,
To dwell a weeping hermit thcre.
But you who survive, and whom we will
follow with new prayers to the tented
| field, will this second time leave us will
more assured hopes of your safe return
Then you went forth to roll back a wav,
of rebellion, which driven by the madnes,
of eleven populous and powerful States
| threatened to overwhclm the capital of tn,
Republic, and to carry its devastation to tn,
heart of the loyal North. Now you viii
have to encounter the discounted arm.
of treason entrenched but in six of thes,
States-a shattered Confederacy, who's,
militia rigorous CONSUMPTION has well nigl
exhausted, whose Frances are disorded
whose credit is impaired, and all who's
slnews OF war we trust your next campaig,
will have completely broken. Then yo,