The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-09-01
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or
Cent ". W, Bslkhap,
SECRETARY OF WAR,
Iowa 0oldis6s Reunion, Del
lEoines, Aug. 8lst 1870.
4. No xfsstiue h more heartfelt than
sofdiergives % soldier aiter years Of
separation; no clasp of the hand ID
given with Armer grasp than when
comrades e bAttlss and camps and
marches renew tho friendships d
days which tried stout hearts md tied
true men together = with bands Of
steel; no words ever fall from lips
with warmer welcome than those
which tell Of the recognition Of . facs
as that Of one which looked II ourl
in times of war and danger-as 70.
miliAr now, save In the few, tosohsa
which time has given, - Il was then;
no eyes glhten moro brightly with
the renewed afIectien Of former years
than those of veterans whose quick
glances reveal ct once the martial
memotise which each box calls forth
no gatherings tell 20 much Of Ill that
Is noble, generous, and brave, sthose
which briSg togsthsr companions il
peril, to meet again alter the lapse o.
years and fight anew, in words, the
battles which have given their part
70 history. Today those grestingl
are givon, today those hands are
c!aspcd; and ~ tho joyous satisfac'
ton Of . U1ion rescued and undse
the control q peacs, yoa ars, In in
agination, ny br0thefA in The midst
OF An Army q which yoa were . part;
You are among memories which NO
influences can, now dispel. In this
presenoe you stand to-day. The hour
or war has gune, bat the booming Of
artillery 10 your ears ~ It did
then; tho roll Of mn1kstry Jon seem
TO hear - whsn the line Of hattie
charged; the clang Of cavalry sabrss
10 with you oncs again; the means u
wounded men are heard . when you
wero in section; the crash Of battle ID
upon you; the hurry, tho shouting,
tho hurras Of the victors; tho quiet
camp after oil 10 over-thsss come to
us in memory, and yet are hardly
realized I; for, with glad hearts, and
with hAppinose on every face, You
come to give each other : soldiers
welcome; to talk Of deeds which made
Of those years . life to be rsmsmbsr-
ed-the lite Of IN Iowa Volunteer. -
Back from the past come to 40 now
the stories Of the exploits of tho he
roes Of the State when the Common
wealth was young; when in it, in
fancy it gave but few signs OF those
future achievements which have
placed the names Of Iowa's soldiers
among the honored Of the age and
their gallant actions in lasting story.
The years of the rebellion. comprie-
ing so many incidents which served
10 stir the blood. to nerve the arm
and TO inspire tho patriotic hopes Of
every lover Of the land. filed with
their skirmishes. their freouent hat.
lies. their victories. and. at times.
heir discourapinp defeats. surnasaed
Ia their importance. 40 greatly. the
,arlier portion Of the life Of the State
hat we are apt to forget that there
had been. however confined lin liz
character, q warlike spirit wears Be-.
ore, and deeds Of daring which. tho,
nfreauent, and perhape unhornlded.
[ormed q fitting opening to
to rising and remarkable ca.
reer. The war of tho rebellion called
nut tho vigorous resources of tia
young manhood; the Mexican war
the patriotic offerings Of it's
vouth. Should the call TO arms again
20 made, and the buglo's asscm5lv
again be sounded, promptly will tho
.esponse come; quickly will tho ranks
.nioken, and sLo li..s rarmnd 40 sud
lenly will truly tell that the recol-
ections Of the past still live to in
'pire the patriotic affections of its
,eople.
Soldiers of Iowa! the welcome you
'eceivo here to-day, coming from tho
jul hearts Of those whose love of
heir home is only second to the love
hey bear the mon who saved it,
brings TO our eyes the tears which
oy alone con shed; gives to our
hearts those quickening beatings
which shadow forth the happiness Of
his hour, for it comes from : thank
ul, q loyal, and . grateful people
he people Of State whose war re-
'ord is as long as the longest of any
If equal age-whose mon fought on
Almost every field where the blood
# patriots crimsoned the soil whose
lag-the flag Of the Un:on-borne
'ravely amidst the heat Of battle
waved victorious, and if it ever
irooped in disaster, dropped only to
rise again with brig inter stars. It
'eems like reading tho contents OF
volumes to reflect upon these occur