The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-07-29
ARRIVAL or THE ESD CHIC.
Rcception aud Entertainment.

The 23d o. v. V. I. was mustered out of
service at Cumberland, Maryland, on the
goth instant, and arrived here at eleven
O'Clock yesterday morning direct from that
place. They were expected to reach the
city at four O'Clock in the morning, but
their train ran of the track near Wheeling,
the night previous, and delayed them sew
eral hours. No one on the train was in
jured.
AS Colonel Comley was not present, the
regiment was commanded by Major Harry
Thompson. After q wash at the depot, the
boys marched to the Square, headed by
Leland's Band, the Mayor and other MEM
bers of the Reception Committee, and the
regimental band. There were $50 men,
and they swung along in easy gait and
made, perhaps, the finest sight we have
yes seen in the military line. Arrived at
the Park, the regiment was drawn up in
companies, one behind another, in front of
the stand, when 8. E. Adams, Esq, babe
them welcome in the following eloquent
speech:
OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS OF THE 23D D. l.
On behalf of the Mayor and people Of Uleve-
land, as well as in the name of the Consti-
tuition and liberties of the country you have
gloriously contributed so much 70 defend, l.
bid you a cordial welcome to the hOspitali-
ties Of this city. How eminently appro-
pirate, that after having suffered privations
and hardships for q country you love 80
well, and after the fearful trials you en-
dured under the burning sun Of q less
genial climate, the last stage in your event
full marches should happily end here amid
the cool and invigorsting breezes upon the
shore of this magnificent Lake. ,r
Though this may be q BETTING occasion
to recall the brilliant achievements of your
gallant regiment on many fields of carnage,
| will only ssy that if Yorktown, Mon
mouth and Valley Forge have their holy
memories, 80 q so have Antietam, Winches-
ter, South Mountain and Cedar Creek. If
the sacrifices of the men Of 1776 elevated
three millions Of dependent colOnists to the
dignity of a free and sovereign nation, you,
to whom the inestimable blessings of civil
liberty through their achievements descen-
ded, nave by your tolls and sacrifices
secured and rendered as enduring as time
itself, the union of these States, and
the integrity and power Of this Gov
ernment. You have done more.
As incident to the great work, you have
struck the chains from four millions of an
enslsved and degraded race, and thereby
whatever shall hereafter be the rank or
destiny of that race-successfully removed
the only cause which by possibility could
/ erdsnger the perpetuity of our existence
as a free and enlightened nation.
Veterans of the T~Wenty-third 0hiol
Your deeds Of valOr shall sparkle in the
yet unwritten pages of your oountry's his
tory, and those of your number who have
fallen in the fearful conflict shall ever be
held in sacred remembrance by q grateful
people. a. .
'How sleep the brave who sink to rest.
By alI their country wishes blestP'
You will need no monumental structure
rearing it's marble-crowned head to Heaven
to tell pOsterity the story of your fame;
your deeds, your worthy deeds alone a
rendered you immortal. .rr Of
Again I bid you welcome, thrice welcome,
on your return to enjoy that peace you have
sonobly and SO dearly won. Loved ones
are waiting TO press your war-browned lips
with the greetings of domestic affection,
and you are worthy of it, for you have
saved and honored your country. Return,
then, to the peaceful pursuit. of your several
vacations, bearing with you the gratitude
of q country that can never forget you, and
do not fail to remember that
elU peace there's QOLnlQg 50 becomes q man ."
As modest stiffness and humility
Surgeon Webb replied as follows:
Mr.. MAYOR AND CITIZENS OF CLEEELAND:-
On behalf of the officers and soldiers of the
23d Ohio, 1 return our most hearty thanks
for the noble welcome which we have re-
ceived to-day. -Four years ago this regi-
ment left Cleveland, and to-day, although
our ranks appear full, not more than one
hundred of the old 23d are here. Numbers
of other soldiers nave Joined US since we
left, but We are happy TO return with SO
many as we do. Again, in behalf of the
2Sd, I return our hearty thanks for the well
come which We have received.
The 23d was organized June 11Eh, 1861
at Camp Chase, and was Immediately sent
iuto Western Virginia. 1t set out 900
strong, under the following field officers:
Colonel-Wm. s. Rosecrans.
Lieut.. Colonel-Stanley Matthews.
Msjor-R. B. Hayes.
Adjutsnt-Wallis ]. Woodward.
Quartermaster-J. Ross McMullen.
Surgeon-JOseph T. Webb.
Asst S~urgeon--James McCurdy.
Chaplain-Amos Wilson.
It returns with 682 men, not more than
$50 of whom are original members of the
regiment.
The following is the present regimental
roster:
CoIOnel-J. NJ. Comley.
Lieut.. Col.-Russell Hastings.
MsjOr-Harry Thompson.
Adjutsnt-JOhn A. Snyder.
Quartermsster-C. II. Hubbard,
~SurgeOn-Joseph T. Webb.
Asst SurgeOns-Joseph Mcclure and E.
N. King.
Captains-E. Clarke, C. H. Morgan, E.
A. Abbott, f. NJ. Kelley, C. W. Atkinson.
L~ieutenants-L. II. Inscno, BENZ. Killam,
A. Mahan, B. N. Hill, c. P. Conant, JnO. T.
Ogden, J. N. Bsyless, Fred. Thompson, Geo.
W. Holston. VIM. Mcconnell, Jos. Martin,
Percival HOwes, D.. c. Speerey, L. E. Vance,
C. A. Willard, A. B. Logan.
Col. Rosecrans remained with the regi-
ment only about ten days, having been
promoted to the position of Brigadier Cen
eral, in command of the brigade to which
the 23d was attached. E. P. Scammon was
appointed Colonel, June l4th, 1861, and
served in that capacity until September
18th, 1862, when he was made a Brigsdier
MsjOr r. B. Hayes assumed command, but
on the 18Th of October, 1864, he, too, was
summoned up higher, and j. NJ. Comley
reigned as Colonel in his stead.
The 23d was recruited everywhere. Co.
A was raised in this city and vicinity. The
men voted in forty-two counties. The ora
tor should have welcomed the boys in be-
half of the State. On the LIST of July, 1864,
the 18th Ohio, then a veteran regiment, was
consolidated with the 23d Ohio, which had
also "veteraned" in the latter psrt of 1863.
In all there have been about ? 200 men in
the 23d, from FIRST 10 last. b..
There has been terrible fatality in the
regiment. 1t has suffered particularly in
officers. In the campaign last summer, out
of an aggregate of thirty-fve officers,
twenty-five were killed or wounded. We
understand that in the battle of Winches-
ter seven prominent officers were killed
out right.
The 23d has furnished one prominent
Major General and two Brigadier Generals,
one of them quite distinguished. This
spawn of generals-let any other Ohio reg
iment show the like of il. .o q
This regiment spent the first year of the
war in West Virginia, bushwhacking. It