The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-02-20

FoRTBEss ROsECRAEs, Tenn, Feb. II.
Mr.. EDIrOR-As the Union is fire.
quent and very s0elcOms visitor to our
camp, propose that with your permits
sion, the Fortress reeiprOcate the favor
by furnishing the Union with brief
sketch Of = very pleasant incident which
occurred on Tuesday last in the way Of
. presentation of q beautiful American
gold watch to Chas. HOughtaling, Major
1st Illinois Light Artillery, by the off,
GERS and soldiers Of Fortress Roseorsns.
Pursuant to previous arrangements, st
half past two o'clock, the officers and
soldiers of the Fortress, to the number
Of about five hundred, met at the Ma
jor's quarters, and gathered around the
old garrison flag to complete the pro-
gramme for the occasion. The Major
was called out, and Chaplain Patterson
being delegated to present the watch,
performed the pleasant task with the
following brief remarks:
Maj0r H9uybtaI'ng. -Sir-It sometimes
occurs even when country is conVulsed
and desOlatsd By war, when its citizens
are compelled to f,Fask8 their peaoeful
pursuits of life, and peril every interest
in defence Of Government. law and order,
even then, I say, it sOmstimes occurs that
we may pause long enough to bsstOw
tokens of appreciation upon those with
whom we are associated il the defence
Of our common cause. Such. sir, is the
object Of our coming together to day
As citizens Of q common country we
have been compelled to leave home and
its sacred ties, civil life and its social
comforts, and for the time being assume
the profession of arms to defend our
grand old Government and its laws
against the attacks Of enemies, who
have been nurtured and reared under
the care and protection of this very
Government In the midst Of this "a
tional struggle for political life for Gov
eminent and order. He would pause
long enough to bestOW upon yeu this
token Of our high esteem for yoa 80 .
gentleman snd friend, and our appre-
oiation of your official merits. Accept,
then, this watch and chain which the Of
fcers and soldiers Of your present COM
mand have delegated ms TO present you
in their behslf,-not 30 much for it's in
trinsic worth IS for the associations that
cluster around it, IT'S these we wish
to be treasured up in the archives Of
memory as . memorial of the mutual
good feeling subsisting between you and
the soldiers of every grade serving With
and under you in Fortress ROsecrans.
Receive il 30 : token Of our mutual
friendship, and as the hands upon The
dial describe the increasing hours Of
each passing day, so may your peace and
prosperity ever be on the increase, until
. good old sgs shall bring you 70 rest in
hope, with the fathers of our common
Republic.
Then followed the response Of Major
Houghtaling:
Officers md Soldiers--On reception Of
This token of your friendship, / would
gladly command the tloqueDcs Of = Ci-
Zero in expressing my warmest thanks
for your favor and respect. But never
made . public speech in my life, except
TO 4 certain class Of men, snd then only
on particular occasions, and then always
smoke through sn interpreter. The par
ticular occasions TO which Irsfer were the
various battle-h ids upon which, with
Won. have stood before an impassioued
and enrsged foe. The interpreters
fhrouoh which I sDoke were The cid field
piecee Of the 1st linois Light Artillery.
The class Of men we're rebels against The
hest government ever organized, and l
snprebend, fellow soldiers, they under
stood our speeches. say speeches, for,
If I mistake not, many Of tOu expressed
the same sentiments from the mouth Of
nanv an unerring rife, and the conclusion
thew understood | derived from The man
ner in which they skedaddled from Chsp-
lain Hills and Stene River, and other rebel
defeats.
Bat As never made q public speech
upon an occasion like this, Lean only
rssDond BY rendering to you my most
grateful thanks for this free and unso
licited ofssiDg Of friendship and esteem
To nv cOuntry's cause hsys but done
THAT duty required, and If IpDssssssd 3
hundred lives would willingly lay them
ali upon her altar.
The git shall preserve in remsrn-
brauce Of the donors, that il may call to
mind one Of the cherished aud bright
sDots Of my military life, and while it
proceeds to number the succeeding hours,
I viii enlist all psy energies to enable Is
"a Doint 10 the hour when every forest
bird and ocean bresz5 shall join in the
sop9 Ok peace, and sing . requIeA over
The grave Of . buried rebellion.
Three cheers were then sent uP FOR the
old Fisg. three for the UniOn, and three
for Fortress Rosscrsna This, with an
evening entertainment given By the Ma
,or. At MurfrsssbOrO', closed one Of those