Litchfield enquirer., 1878-09-19
THE REUNION.

The Twelfth Reunion of the 2d Conn. H. Y. A., or the Old Nineteenth, held at this place on Wednesday, was grand success. The yll- lage itself ,gaily dccked with flags and stream ers never looked more beautifully. The dec rations Of the central square, especially of tie Center Park, the Soldiers Monument and of Armory Hall, were particularly effective. At the Town Room were displayed the regimental i flags, showing the wear and tear of hard field service, Col. kelloggs sword and other regI- mental relics. The speakers platform was built under the naples at the west end of, East Park, an excellent location.
 Early in the forenoon the Wolcottville Band put in an appearance, and afterwards the Cur 1 tiss Band, of Woodbury, came up with some i of the veterans from that locality. In spite of the threatening weather large crowd, num- boring not less than twenty-five hundred, came 1 ill by team and from the railroads and over | three hundred veterans of the old regiment | were in attendance.
 | At twelve the stand was occupied by the officers of the association, officers ladies and other invited guests. The proceedings were opened by prayer by the Rev. w. H. Phelps of Egremont, Mass, chaplain of the regiment Mir. J. Deming Perkins, chairman of the Citi- zens Executive Committee, then introduced the Hon. Chas. B. Andrews, of this place, who made the following address of welcome: Veterans: town of Litchfield welcomes you this day to its hospitalties.
 We have always felt in great measure res- ponsible for you. We think we nave sort of | franchise in your good name. We have deep interest in your continued life. In your fame and glory we take peculiar pride and satis- faction.
 1t was here that your birth as a military or ganization took place-here that your career as soldiers began; and it was here that at the close of your term of service in war, your return to the quiet of civil life was first welcomed. Your glory is our history. And it is in this feeling that am directed to bid you welcome.
 Welcome! survivors of the Second Conn. Heavy Artillery.
 In the summer of 1862, that darkest period of the war, in response to the call for 300, 900 men, the formation of a Litchfield County Reg inent was determined upon. At every house and hamlet the demand was made for the strongest and healthest member of the family. In every village was heard the sound of fife and drum. From all these green valleys and from all these fertile hill-sides-the air is still tremulous with the tread-your steps-you were younger then than now-were turned to Litchfield hill to camp. It is a little more than sixteen years since you first gathered here. Sixteen years ago yesterday you received, from one of the noblest of our matrons, the gift of those beautiful flags which today greet your Nol lonlr %I,<,,, otic ardor. To behold their generous donor will fill you with more than youthful enthusi- asm. Sixteen years ago to-day you were mus tered into the United States service; and it will be sixteen years ago come next Sunday since in long and solemn procession you march ed away to the scenes of conflict. It were bootless to speak of the sadness of that day. how many hearts followed you with loving memory-with what heaviness we all lay down at night to dream of you.
 From day to day, with alternating hopes and fears we followed you. We were with you in the defences around Washington. On that fatal day of your first great battle, that of Cold Harbor, when in less time almost than it takes to relate it more than four hundred of your number were killed or wounded, it seemed as though the angel of death had gone through all our borders and had failed to find the sprink- ling of the hyssop on the lintels of single door. There was one dead in every house. During all your brighter days our hearts swell ed with your renown. When at Winchester your steady valor turned the wavering tide of battle into the assurance of victory. When you charged with resistless impetuosity at Fishers Hill. When you marched and coun- ter-marched in all the intricate strategic man. euvres south of Petersburgh;and above and be- yond all when you made that pursuit of un- parallelled length and rapidity which ended at Appomattox. In and through all these our hopes and hearts were with yeu.
 For these things we welcome you today.
 But there is another and perhaps higher reason why we welcome you. It is that in the doubtful uncertain days of the war, when Lib- it indeed seemed that governments of the people, by the people, and for the people, were about to perish forever from off the earth, you stepped into the conflict and by your heroism aided in establishing on a sure basis the doc trines of the Declaration of Independence. For this you not only have our welcome but the benedictions of all men everywhere who love liberty, and hate oppression.
 AriOstO tells pretty story, and 1 copy this exactly from Macaulay, of fairy, who, by some mysterious law of her nature, was con- demned to appear at certain seasons in the form of foul and poisonous snake. Those
 
 guise were forever excluded from participation in the blessings which she bestowed. But to those who in spite of her loathsome aspect, pitied and protected her, she afterwards re- vealed herself in the beautiful and celestial form which was natural to her, accompanied their steps, granted all their wishes, filled their homes with wealth, made them happy in love and victorious in war.
 Such spirit is Liberty. At times she takes the form of hateful reptile. She grovels, she misses, she stings. But woe to those who in disgust shall venture to crush her And hap py are those, who having dared to receive her in her degraded and frighful shape, shall at length be rewarded by Ter in the time of her beauty and her glory.
 It is your praise and glory that you discov- cred the form of Liberty even through the most hostile of disguises.
 But 1 am not to make any address My dl- ty is simply ts welcome to our midst; Again, in the name of the Town of Litchfield and all it's inhabitants, bid you welcome! May this days doings so influence your minds and hearts that each of you will say of this an- cient town what Othello said of Desdemona- .'she loved s.e for the dangers had passed, And loved her that she did pity them. Gel. A. H. Tenn, President of the regiment al association, made an eloquent reply. He trusted that out of the abundance of the heart he could not fail to give some expression to his gratitude for the warmth of their reception l to-day. Such had been the hearty welcome their little band had received here and else- where, at their annual reunions, that he felt able to deny the common aspersion that re- publics are ungrateful.
 t'We come back here to Litchfield with feel ing of peculiar interest-like that of children returning te the scenes of their childhood. It WITS here, at Camp Dutton, that the regiment was organized. Here they began to learn that discipline which waste be put to such dread full test in our baptism of fire at Cold Harbor, and in other ardfought battles. Here, on this very spot, from the fair hands of a de scendant of one of the most gallant officers of the Revolution, we received our regimental