Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-06-18
Reception OF the Returning Heroes
---MeIfnEe to the I4th Indiana.

lndiana. after three years aud three
months Of arduous service, was an ex-
ceedingly pleasant affair, gratifying alike |
70 the soldiers and citizens who we're /
present 4 greater number Of ladies /
than we have seen at the Soldiers Home
before at one time we're present, and the |
dinner or supper which they presented |
70 the regiment was very fne. al the |
.substsntials and many Of the delicacies
of the season were spread In bountlful
profusion, and we're partaken Of in a
manner that eyinced high appreciation
Of a treat rather unusual 10 the war
worn and sun-browHed men Of the I4th
Their commentators were hearty and
sincere
After the supper the seats in the
dining hall were taken ont and arranged
for the ladies in the open space between
the two long buildings, where platform
had been erected for the speakers. The
regiment was then brought up in front
10 solid square, to hear the welcome the
State and City authorities had to give
them How small that square seemed
a mere handful Of men compared with
the original strength. Hahn's band,
which was present, played several airsin
their best style, among which was
Home, Sweet Home, given very i'm
pressiyely.
Governor Morton, then, on behalf Of
the State, welcomed the regiment home.
We were prevented from hearing the
FIRST part Of the Governor speech, which
Is spoken of as unusually eloquent and
fall Of feeling. He rehearsed With many
expressions Of praise, the history Of the
regiment from lie organization At Terre
Haute, in June, 1861, its campaign in
Western Virginia, aRd through all the
principal battles Of the army Of the Po-
tomae to the commencement Of the
prese 1t campaign under Gen. Grant. IL
beg=.l this memorable campaign on the
Sd Of May, participating IN al the battles
from the Wilderness.to the Chickahomi
ny, being under fire for thirty three COZ
secutiye days, when on the morning OF
the 9th inst, an order came relieving
| the regiment from It's arduoas duty with
the glorious Army Of the Potomac. Col
Coons fell on the l2sa Of Nay at SpOtt-
sylvania Court House, while calamity
| leading his men into the works Of the
/ enemy He stood on the breastw0rks,
calling upon the enemy to surrender,
when ball passed through bis heart.
The regiment has lost los men killed,
and $50 wounded aud missing The
regiment has made two Generals, Kim
ball and Harrow, three Colonels, four
Lieutenant COlohels, foar Majors, aud
other officers By scores II has fought
10 ever thirty hard and bloody battles,
and has been under FIRE, aside from these
battles, Of least one hundred and lifty
times. Ii Is the frat to return to the
State to rest in its glory
The Governor read the general orders
from It's brigade and corps commanders,
Colonel Smith and General Gibbon, com
plimeuting the regiment for the honora-
Bile part it had borne throughout tho war
| Concluding the review Of it history. BE
said the occasion Of the meeting had
been 10 welcome the l4th Indiana, espe-
eially, but he wished to thank all the sol
diers present, Shether from Indiana on
other States, fol the great work they had
done. lie said the war would 20 oh
must GO on must be fought through on
/ Grants lire. After Rll that has been
done--after the sacrifices made, with The
bones Of our nearest aud dearest lying
in an enemY's land, We cannot afford TO
end tho war until we shall have been
completely successful He concluded By
again bidding the regiment welcome
home
Hon. J w Gordon, on behalf OF the
Nayors who was unable 70 be present,
and the citizens Of Indianapolis, address,
ed the regiment in a brief bat stirring
speech OF welcome He said be eoald
add nothing to their proud record; that
record will DO read b. our posteriiy
viii stimulate them all 10 dnfy aud right
He said they would receive tie heart,
felt welcome OF every good man, and no
one Woald think Of asliisg Why they had
not done more, They had done their
whole duty. He remembered the Four
teeuth 10 the field They we're over in
'front.' The highest compliment he bad
aver heard paid 90 any troops was what
was said Of the l4th, 10Th and 9Th. Indi.
ana regiments by the rebels They
stood and fought ike devils, and could
not be moved He alluded to the old
stained aud iatteFed battle hag, inscribed
with the names Of many battles, and said
it would be kept as 3 memeRto Of their
value, and future generations looking
upon it xopld think with wonder and
pride Of the heroism Of she l4lh.
4 Lieutenant Colonel Calvin was then
introduced BY the Governor, and spoke
for a short time as only a soldier who
has seen service can speak. lie said be
would have been happier IL when they
came home, the war had been ended.
II would have been o happy day il Rich.
mond had fallen before they LEFT the
army BE said they were proud Of In.
diana--proud, because the people Of the
other States were proud Of her. The
soldiers from other States always praised
our Governor. he was considered the
model Governor OF the Union. IL he
had been in New York the riots would
not have occurred, If in Pennsylvania,
the State would not have lain at the
, mercy of the enemy. He was wal
Governor. The 18th were not in favor
Of stopping the war, aud when they have
been at homo among their friends q
J short time, If there still is call Cor men
, they viii re-enlist and fight il out He
referred 10 the lie that vas pablished in
the Ssatiasl, that be had thTeateped bis
regiment with the Rip Raps If they. re,
J fused to vote for q certain set of resolu,
. tons The men Of the 14th had voted
as they pleased on all OCCASIONS Then
traducers we're not here % meet them
now. They would keep quiet while thu
: soldiers were about He said the req
. ment honored the ladies' OF Indiana, Is
peeiaily OF Indianapolis They wefs
: worthy to have their names enrolled higf
, on the list Of honor. The ladies f.thi,
: city we're The 6Fsi to tender their ssryi
/, ees for work, that the men might 60 Il
the field. The regiment must ever hoaol
such, AID now that they had partaken o
5 their hospitality and kindness. be wished
. TO return to them its most sincere ans
heartfelt thanks
The Colonel related many Interesting
--s&L - IN