Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-29
pHD sTEUBENv1ILE REUNION.

entertained so many people at one time,
and Jolly SON Of ERIK described the
situation very truly in the remark;
"We'ye ate 'em out and drunk 'em out,
and be jabbers don't think they've
cracker left.
Many men who are familiar with
crowds estimated il at twenty thousand.
Gen. EWING thought there were fifteen
thousand in front Of the speakers
stand. There was apparently no spot
in the town where it was possible to
escape the crowd.
Ii was an orderly crowd, too, consld-
ering its size. There was a notable ao-
senee of the usual disturbances incident
10 such occasions. They had come
together in a spirit OF genuine social
converse. They were congenial COM
panions. They had something in COM
mon in their experiences though they
had never met. They talked it over in
groups ami in the line of march, as new
acouaintances were made and old ones
renewed
Nor was it, by any means, a military
looking crowd. Not a sword, not gun
was seen; not bayonet cleaned IN the
sun. nor was there even a shoulder-strap
or n blouse in the ranks. II they had
not beaten their swords into plowshares
many had laid them aside for the plow'
They were, in fact, the most unsoldlerly
looking soldiers that could well be con-
ceiyed. And it was much more pleas
ant TO look upon this vast assemblage OF
men. fresh from the avenues Of indus
try, than arrayed in the gaudy habili-
ments of the soldiery, smelling OF pow
der and of blood.
Atll o'clock A. NJ they formed in line
and were reviewed from stand in front
of the Court House by Gov. BIsHoP, re-
inforced on either side by Generals
EWING and GARFIELD. They then
marched to the beautiful grove on the
suburbs, where was erected commodi-
Gus stand in deep hollow. The hills
rising on each side formed pleasant
and commanding position for the people
TO sit in files one above the other
and the acoustics were so fine
as to enable nearly the whole crowd to
hear distinctly. 1t was grand sight to
behold this great mass of humanity
swaying to and fro as they struggled for
nearer access to the speakers stand.
What a volume OF history, we thought
as we looked over it, is written in their
experiences.
The most attractive thing about the
speakers stand was the immense and
magnificent bouquet donated by THos,
HoRvBRooK. 1t was all the decoration
necessary.
Hon. j. T. UPDEGRAFF delivered the
address Of welcome in good style and
with pleasing effect.
Then came the knightly form OF Gen.
EWING, with his manly manner and
magnetism, with his calm, seIf-posessed
expression, his open, frank and intelll-
gent face, and delivered short Grafton
that was in excellent taste, so well spo-
ken, and so well conceived in every re-
spect that when he sat down, there
was nothing to be added, nothing to be
suggested to the most fastidious taste to
make it complete.
His subject may be entitled the career
OF the soldier. The career OF the volun-
teer was an epitome OF life. When he
enlisted. the future was fortunately veil
ell from his vision. A sympathetic
mother loadens him down with baggage.
II was impossible to get back into the
knapsack all the mothers and sisters
had first put into it. Then came the
dropping out by the way Of supertiuous
articles, and he winds up with canteen
and blanket.
The character OF the career upon
which the volunteer enters, breaks upon
him day by day like a revelation. If he
is physically sufficient, he develops into
the sturdy veteran, otherwise he drops
out according to the law of the "suryi-
val of the fittest."
In describing battle he said the first
heavy loss falls upon the skirmish line.
The scene of the advance OF skirmisers
is a thrilling and painful sight. When
troops come into close quarters, no one
can see much more that is occurring in
his immediate front.
The scenes of carrying the wounded
10 the rear to meet the surgeons knife
the day succeeding the battle when en-
gagged in burying the dead; the appear
ance Of relatives TO look after the
wounded and recover their dead, were
all graphically pictured.
Camp life was humorously described,
and the picture of the soldiers return to
the home where death and desolation
have come during his absence, was
full of pathOs.
The foregoing gives an imperfect con-
ception of the character of the Grafton.
Gen. EWING was compelled to suspend
during the delivery of his speech in con-
sequence of the noise of passing train.
Some one called out to him to talk pol
tiles while the noise lasts.
"No sir! no sir" said Gen. EWING
firmly, 81 don't talk politics from this
stand"
Gen. GARFIELD was the next speaker.
He is "meaty man." a pleasant and
iorcible speaker, though not precise in
statement; giving out the impression
that he is being run away with 10y an
exuberance of animal spirit; that while
he is smart, he does not have his facul-
ties well in hand.