Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-06-25
TIE OLD MAR EAGLES talk.
SOM. Touching Words from odd
Abe" as Translated by Hob Bur,lcttc.
or the Burlington Hawkcye.


Among the interesting OCCURRENCES
OF the Milwaukee reunion none was
NOR interesting and touching than that
Of tie Sth regiment known Ms the eagle
regiment There were about one hum
drrd and twenty-five Of these old vet.
eras, who had lived through some of
the hardest fighting OF the whole war,
and now gathered rs remnants vt the
shattered ranks, and came together to
once more talk over those ncver-to-ho
forgotten times, They were n Jolly SGT.
and vet there was n tender and seri-
Gus side To the gathering,
When Colonel Rritton arrived in Mil
wauScc, he was met by his hand Of
brave ones, who under command OF
Col. LYON, ar as he is known in times
of peace Judge Lyon, had marched
with hand, with the old eagle, and with
the remnants of the old flag, ~ give
him hearty welcome, Ii was com
plete surprise to Col. Britton but he
liked it, and the rousing cheers and
"tho tiger showed how welcome he
was There was experimenting and
story telling and the two or three hum
dwd ladies and gentlemen who gath
cred with the old veterans We're highly
entertained. Tine choice hit Vt the pro
gr,mmc is too choice to let sleep in the
quiet Of n pigeon hole, and We are sure
our readers will ENJOY il most heartily
il being from one of the old members
Of the brigade Robert j. Rurlcttc, Of
the Burlington Ham&tVc 1t was read
AZ the reunion, and was literally pune
tuated with cheers and tears by the old
comrades rs they listened to the words
of this one who was unable to he pres
cnt in body, though the whole of him
was evidently there III spirit The FOL.
lowing is the letter,
orflcr on rnE liAwSENE,
BURLINGTON, Iowa. \
Ny deur Comrades Of he WISCONSIN
Eighth.
In response to your kind invitation,
rendered me through 4. &. Weisscrt, |
can only say, Don't wish | could9"
For among my pleasant memories Of
tho glorious old Second Brigade the
Eagle regiment has won n warm and IL
prominent place, and | would like to
sit with YOU and talk over the old days
of drum and buglc, and tell how many
times III tho midst Of the battle the
general commanding dismomtod from
his horse, and came to me in the ranks
and said to me, Bob, wish YOU would
take this division and do something
with it; you're the only man in the
United States Army TINT can get us out
of this snarl" And how many times ]
was scared To death, and couldn't find u
tree big enough to hide me from halt
the men that We're ready, willing and
anxious To make a target of me.
could talk for week about Red River
and Nashville, and Nickshurg and
nupelo and Spanish Fort, and all the
grief and fun We have seen together
Only few weeks ago have met lot
of our fellows of the ID Iowa Battery
Captain Spoor among them, who il now
out i'll Denver railronding, and Joe Reed
who is II Judge in n western Iowa cir
cult, and Sergeant Scott Rice, who IL il
the mail service ut Council Bluffs ant
Sergeant Reynolds who is dru, gist ~
Burlington, Iowa, and Peoria, Illinois
| met no end of men in my own regi
mcnt, the 47th Illinois, Col Mcclure
county clerk, Captain sam LAW, who
ws division quartermaster on old Joc's
staff, and Lieutenant Col. Baker, now in
the railway mail service, Captain Georg,
Pmerbaugh and | don't know how
many others that | know You would
| like To hear about. Last winter pass
cd a day in New London, Conn. Nov.
crS old home, and where his widow
stall lives. There WAS some talk, ut one
time, Of the old Second Brigade raising
money and erecting Il monument over
old Joe's grave. ! wish you could talk
itup and put the scheme into some
shape. There was no man in the arm v
more deserving Of such m honor And
! then
But am taking up all the time and
know the rest ofyou want to talk The
tcamsters may want chance to tell
something about il, and they always
knew more about battle than anybody
else. They didn't have to dc go much
lodging MS the rest Of us. | would like
to he with YOU Two years ago met
cold Abe" in old South church down IN
Boston, II was the first time had met
him since the war. wanted To cry
He knew me- ] went up to the cage
and tears came into my eyes when
spoke 10 him. The bird turned and
looked Mt me.
Bob, You rascal he said is that
your
| told him il was, and wanted Il
know what he was doing down there
ooh, he said | am down here help
ing Old South church out Of its mort
cages and acquiring little culture
Queer people down here. The other
day man came in here with his fl nily
and told them fought all through the
revolutionary war, and had nest on
Boston common, and those people act.
ually got down on their knees around
the cage, and then when the keeper
said ! was only Is years old, they got up
and never came back into that part oi
the church. have heard myself call.
I'd M arctic owl and fish hawk since
I've been here"
do you remember" said down nj
Chuck-a-luck Island. when gave you Il
squirrel and you bit my thumb