The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-10-30

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caslon, as well as that of the soldiers under
them. lie iervently prayed that war would
never again desolate our land or any portion
of 1t, advocating arbitration by intelligent
and pcaceahle means. He hoped soldiers
reunions would be made perpetual, as they
not only conduced to strengthen the bonds of
fellowship, but inspired the people with
patriotism. He compared the citizen soldier
here with the forced soldier of Europe, who
is mere slave to some despot, while here
every man is q freeman fighting for his own
intercs,s-for home, liberty, for his country.
(Applause) He again prayed for unending
peace and prosperity, and drew most elo-
quent picture of peace and the blessings such
as we in republic enjoy, and closed
The Glee Club sang 1.-THE Star Spangled
Banner" the audience joining IN the chorus
and then the reunion adjourned.
THE BANQUET.
At nine O'Clock p NJ. a banquet was given
at the Clifton Hotel. Gen Smith d. Atkins,
of Freeport, presided After the substantals
had been partaken of Col Douglas Hapeman,
of Ottawa, read letters from number of SOL
ders and other invited guests, who for good
and substantial reasons had been unable to
attend the reunion. Then the President read
the following toast:
"The volunteers from La Sale county"
Which was replied to by Col. Dickey of
Chicago. The President then read:
"The army and navy
and called on Gen. Oglesby for response.
Gen. Oglesby spoke eloquently of the army
and navy as always true to the country. The
next toast was;
"The Bummers,"
and was responded to by Gen John Tillson,
of Quincy The next toast was;
sour Country
and was responded to by Gen. John ~. Lo-
gan Volunteer toasts were called for, and
Col Hapeman offered,
Company A, of the Eleventh.
and called On Gen. Smith ID. Atkins, the first
captain of that company, to respond Gen.
Atkins spoke as follows:
ConiraoeS Of tie Eleventh
These are trite and old apothegms: The frst
love is the true love-" and 1.-THE old love is the
best love" The soldiers all learned to love the
military organizations with which they served.
!, My military service began in company a, of the
Eleventh. | loved the company and regiment.
1t my first love, and it is the Oldest and best;
the fair fame and honor of that company and of
the Eleventh, have been very dear to me always.
The honor and glory of company A is that OF the
= Eleventh, and the fame of the Eleventh is the
. fame of company A and of every other company
IN the regiment, and belong of right to the hum
, blest private soldier who served in any company
in that regiment of heroic men. The history Of
lnt hal hiatt r Tho
) 1t went to battle at the same time, and for the
same reasons, as tie other companies in the reg7
iment-t fought like them and with them side
by side. To tell of the special deeds of company
2 A, or to name the heroes in that company who
, nObly fought, and fighting, fell" without nam
ing all in the regiment might appear like claim
ing too much for that company. 1t is enough to
say that company belonged to the Eleventh
81 Illinois, and everywhere and always did It's whole
duty with sOldierlv pride in the fair fame OF the
Eleventh, and with soldierly devotion 10 the flag,
: that grand old flag, that grand old banner, SYM
bolical of human liberty under which they
t fought.
| have often wondered why the Eleventh held
no re unions. like the idea of these soldiers
reunions. II it was proper and right for us to
fight the battles of the union-if the deeds them.
selves right, and there was honor in the
doing OF them, them surely, it is right and hon
orable for us to remember, and be glad Of and
be proud OF our honorable deeds. Our revolu-
tionary fathers have set us the example. After
: the revolution the Society of the Cincinnati was
formed, of which George Washington was Presi-
dent, and none but those who had borne an hon.
I orable part in the war for liberty were members
Of it, and they, and the people of this whole
country never did and never will, grow weary
: of remembering and recountng again and again
| the gories of Bunker Hill and Lexington, Sara.
toga and Yorktown, or ever weary of repeating
the story of their sufferings privations marches
, bivOuacs and battles. To have been with, and
one Of that glorious army of patriots, the revo-
utionary soldiers, who, by their heroic vaor,
maintained in the face Of the world the truth
fulness and rightfuness Of the American De-
claration of independence, and planted securely
the foundations Of this free republic, ever has
) been and ever will be accounted an honor My
fathers father was one of those soldiers. and |
would be craven were not proud of such an
ancestry. And if they were accounted honora
bic who gave to the world free America, the
brightest star in the constellation of nations, so
forever will be accounted honorable you men,
who, by your valor, have kept the jewelof lib
eriy in the family of nations"
Mawkish sentmentalism may suggest-indeed
1T has already suggested-that we soldiers forget
the past and cover over quickly all the memories
Of the war, and heal the wounds and cover up
: the scars. Forgetfulhess of deeds done is for
these only who have done dishonorable deeds.
Such deeds were not ours We have no regrets
for what we did. Treason wrong and we
tramped 1t out and we are not sorry, We are
glad of it. God bless you, men, because you
helped to do it, Let it ring out over the land,
and ring Gu down through the years, that the
ptope CTusueu tTcasoH Oul, anu hC'Cl
have been sorry or ashamed OF it-are' glad and
} proud Of it-and stand ready now, and will be
ready always to do it again. These are my SEN
timents, and it appears to me that they must re-
ceiye the hearty approval of every soldier ,chO
= fought on the right side. And the people did it,
What grand up rising of the people it was
The flag of our fathers was in danger, and the
people voluntarily left their workshops and
n fields, their offices and counting rooms and rallied
to the camps. The country had just passed
a heated political campaign; some of you had
voted one ticket, and some of you another.
While many Of you were not old enough TO vote
at all-but in that supreme hour of the nations
danger you forgot all about politcs-politics
was sunk in patriotism-and like true heroes
non went marching away, shoulder to shoulder
and breast to back, your hears throbbing with
the love of liberty and country and your feet
keeping step to the music of the union. That
great uprising of the loyal Northland was grand