Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-10-24
Township correspondence.
MONUMENT DEDICATION AT
FARMINGTON.
Address of General Garfield.
FARMINGToN, OCT. 26, 1866.

EDlroR CHRONICLE We had hoped you
would have been present at the dedication OF
the Soldiers Monument in Pennington; but
being disappointed in this, still hoped some
one would have sent you areport for your
last paper. This having also failed, l thought
Justice demanded something should be pub
lished in regard to it
as was generally known, the time was set
for the eleventh Of October, nrst Thursday
after the State election. On election after
noon it rained very hard, and more or less
all of Wednesday and Thursday afternoon.
But the citizens of Pennington, true to their
orit, turned out after dinner on wednesday,
and p~repared seats and erected q stand, a
little north of, and near the monument,
(which stands nearly In the center of the
new addition of about four acres Of ground
to the old Pennington Cemetery hoping
that Thursday would prove tair and pleasant.
But Thursday morning was rainy; WIND In
the north cas- betokening a lowery day, and
the question was asked bymore than one early
in the day, what shall we do, and where
shall we 90, and where shall we put the
,,ysaths- that fair hands and loving hearts
have wrought for the occasion? The Town
Hall had been put in order, so that If neceS
sarv. the audience could repair thither. But
as the dsy wore on, the weather began to
brighten, and old Sol peeped q little once or
twice tosee what was going on, but soon hid
his face and looked blAcker than ever.
The hour set, ten o'clock, arrived, ana Inc
rain had increased q little. About half past
ten O'Clock Gen. Ga:feld arrived in town,
the rain increasing. But about eleven oclocK
IT slaekened, and the crowd begsn to gather
about the monument, coming not only from
our own town, but all the townships adloln-
ing. and Warren, Bazetta, Braceville, Hi
ram, Nelson, Sc, generally well prepared
for the wet. A part occupied the seats
standing on then; the remainder drove their
carriages as near the stand as possible, and
occupied them.
At half past eleven o'clock, the Gen. ar
rived on the ground, and took a seat on the
stand. which was neatly decorated. A heavy
wreath of flowers and evergreens was hung
around the stand near the top, and on the
front side our country's flag, folded and
draped with Grape, was suspended to the east
of the Monument, and the left of the stand O
flag staff was set in the ground and the stars
and stripes entwined around 1t and draped.
The Monument also was decorated very
tastefully. Around the marble base was q
heavy wreath, ard from these to the top was
still another. winding spirally to the top M
teen feet from the ground; on the west sioe
of the die, which Is plain, was fa=tened IN
With the wreath a very fine picture of our
Iaren.ed President LINCOLN, winch was
- annropriate. There are thirty-six 1867
80 enoraven on the die of the monument.
On the south side, infsntryi north side, cav
eIrv. and east side, one battery boy, Homer
7 StnTl. And here I will say that Farming
ton sent out over " hundred soldiers to put
down the rebellion, including almost one
whole company of hundred day men.
Soon after the arrival Of the speaker the
Meeting was called to order by the chairman,
Rev. Asahel Reeves; and the Glee Ciuo
consisting of II. A. Lee, w Maltoy, Mr.
Case and E. Kibbee) we're called upon TO
sing one Of the songs which they nao pre-
pared for the occasion. Prayer was tnen
offered bv Rev. Robert Page, ser which
another song by the Club, then thechsirman
introdnced to the audience Gen. Garfield.
Gen. Garfield commenced by remarklng
how appropriate to compare the patent
waiting Of the audience in the rain, under
the circumstance, to the trials, troubles, per-
plexities, rain, cold, exposure and nun
Ger our soldiers endured. Our whole life
was a battle-we battle, the elements battle,
tbe tiny shoot that grows from the tree, bat
tIas. the tree battles with the elements, the
80 battle with the earth; the kernel put IN
Ooo,.h battles and dies that it may e m
forth new grain. Man battles from the era
AZ = tbs 6rave. The soldiers you sent forth
boitIsd for their country till death relieved
tbem. It was 8 happy thought, a betting
! ;dea This monument should be erected, q tl'
INT, of respect to their memories;
For over an hour the General conslnueu
in a s,rair; of patriotic eloquenoe; Nes5tn
close he direoied his remarks to the sol9iers
present. in language 50 tender and tSucning
r. n cause msSy an eye to suffuse viii tears
At the close Of the address, the glee cluS
sang. after which a vote of thanks was ten
Jered the speaker and the club. The b9ne-
diction was pronounced by Rev. g, K. Pat
tee. and the audience dispersed.
Gen. Garfield made the acquaintance Of
large numbers Of our people. All were
pleased and felt compensated by the e1ercl-
ses Of the day, Notwithstanding the weather
was so forbidding.