Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-12-25
The Army Reunion
Correspondence Ohio State Journal

/ Armies OF the Cumberland, tennessee
Georgia and Ohio. is probably one oi
the most interesting and enjoyable oc-
casions of the kind which has yet &C.
Cured. Thousands of the veterans
have assembled to live over again the
stirring experiences of war time, and
all the principal hotels are crowded
with the soldier guests. Among them
Grant, Sherman, Thomas, Scofeld,
SlocUm, Cox, and a host of minor
notables of the great Union Army Of
the West are in attendance, apparent
IL taking as much interest and realiz-
ing as much enjoyment in these con-
Vivialties as the humblest subaltern or
private.
The Committee of Arrangements
have exhibited admirable energy and
tac0i in arranging the programme, and
in providing all the means within
reach to make the reunion both profit
able and delightful. In this they have
been seconded by the people of Chica-
20 in q manner which reflects credit
upon their patriotism and hberality.
The parlors of the hOtels-Tremont,
Sherman and Briggs-Where the diff
ferent armies have their rendezvous,
have been tastefully decorated with
eYergreens, flags, and appropriate mot
toes. Crosby's Opera House, where
the armies held their joint meeting,
has also been splendidly orns1ented
with various emblems and decorations
appropriate to the occasion. The names
of the heroic dead, and of battles and
victories, were conspicUously display
ed, wreathed with festoons of flags
bearing the insignia of the different
commands, and the yet more honOra-
BILE traces of battle. Above the stage
a row Of gas jets represented in brill
liant outline the badges of the four diff
ferent corps In the army of Sherman,
and in the rear of the platform a large
painting displayed camp scene.
Last evening the members of the
four societies assembled in this mag
nifcent chamber to celebrate their re-
union together. The scene was al
most fairy-like in its beauty, seeming
IL recalling the memory of some glOri-
Gus dream rather than the dread actu-
alties of war, yet croWding the mind
with grand and stirring recollections
of other scenes, before which all the
brilliancy and excitement of this sunk
into tame and empty nothingness.
None were admitted to the building
save those who had been provided
with tickets, including the members of
the Army Societies and a number of
ladies, whose pleased faces beamed
from the galleries upon the veterans
assembled below. The platform was
crowded with faces that have grown
historic, and whose features are famil-
lar to almost every cottager of the
land. In the center sat the presiding
officer, General Thomas, the soul of
dignity, the picture of reserved power,
and physically the grandest figure on
the stage. On his right sat Grant, al
ways quiet, serene and self-eOntained,
apparently unconscious that thousands
of eager eyes were bent upon him,
scanning every feature and expression
of his countenance, or that he above
all others of that historic group was
the one upon whom eentered the in
tensest interest. On the right of
Grant sat Schofeld, then Slocum, then
Logan. On the left of the presiding
officer sat the great genius of the
march to the sea, "a little less bronZed
than he was when he led his sixty
thousand on that splendid expedition,
vet with the same stern, self-reliant,
erect figure that In wartime marked
the personnel of William Tecumseh
Sherman. On the left of the Lieuten-
nt-General sat Belknap, Cruft, Cox
and CogsWell, the orators of the even
ing, and Mcdowell, whose fine figure
and gay uniform were singularly sug-
gestiVe of old Potomac times. On the
platform were also Schurz, Pope, Au-
Gibbon, Oglesby, Palmer, Turner,
Butterfeld, Fairchild, Whipple, Nor
gan, Negley, Hartranft, A. j. Smith,
aud many others whose names have
been made illustrious in the great
! war.
Soon the blare of trumpets an
nounced that the programme for the
evening was about to commence, and
the orchestra having ceased its per-
formance, General Thomas, rising with
that superlative, unaffected dignity
which is his alone, announced that the
regular exercises would commence
with the "Reveille," ," played by the
Drum Corps. The inspiring call, so
familiar and suggestive to soldier ears,
/ awakened round after round of ap-
plause, which had scarcely ceased
when il broke forth again in redoubled
/ volume as General Sherman arose to
deliver the Address of Welcome. The
address was marked by the tersenesE
and force which so prominently char
acterized the military orders and COM
munications of Sherman, and was re-
ceived with scarcely less enthusiasm
than was its distinguished author.
Next there was song, America,
by the Glee Club, then an Grafton by
Gen. Belknap, Army of the Tennessee,
then Guard Mount by the band
then an oration by Gen. Cruft, Army
of the Cumberland, then a Drum Solo
-" Battle of Stone River admir-
able imitation of battle sounds, then
an oratiOn by General Cox, Army ol
Ohio, then the Star SPqngled Ban
ner," by the Glee Club, then an ora
&Georgia, then "Sherman's march
I through Georgia, +" by the Glee Club
then Retreat" by the Band, and final
ly Taps" by the Drum Corps.
The first two orations were entirely
ltoo long, but those of Cox and Cogs
we'll were particularly admirable
Complimentary references to the dis
tinguished persons on the platform
! H6to diWdyH ASGSAfp0 WIN bAS AOo
unbounded applause, which would al
low no repression, until the person com
plimeuted had made his appearance anC
Acknowledgements. Gems. Grant, ,Sher
man and Thomas we're compelled il
this way to make several obeisanees Il
their admirers in the course Of tn
evening, though always with becoming
dignity and apparently the greatest re
! luctance. The exercises lasted unit
nearly midnight, and were Throughout
of the most interesting character,
On yesterday the different army so
cieties held separate business meet
tings. That of the Cumberland assem-