The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-04-13
M'PHERsON'S MONUMENT
Unveiled at Cincinnati by the Army
OF the Tennessee.
Fourteenth Annual Reunion OF That Organ
ization-Speeches FISHERMAN
and Others.


Army OF the Tennessee marched this morning
ninety in number, with General sherman at the
head, from in front of the Burnet House to Pixies
Opera House. where business meeting was held
General Sherman President. Recording Secretary
Colonel l.. NJ. Dayton made a report. stating that
without any special instruction by the Society
he had prepared and sent to each member, a copy
OF the proceedings of the last reunion, which
action had been approved by the Executive
Committee.
General Hickenlooper, Corresponding Secretary
read brief Biographical sketches Of members de
ceased since the last meeting-Colonel John Can
der Reid, of Washington, ID. C.; Colonel X. VI.
More, of Cincinnati; Colonel John J. Palmer OF
the Forty fifth Illinois; DIR. Thomas l.. Harper of
Cincinnati, and Major J. +. simpson, OF St. Louis
The Treasurer General NJ. +. Force. read re-
ports showing bonds ON hand amounting TO
general fund, Sl,lS9.
Committees were appointed on Permanent
Officers, Grafton and Time and Place of Next Re
General Sherman read sketch OF the battle of
Pittsburg Landing, illustrating by maps and
charts. These Were distributed among the mem
with the accounts of the battle written by
reporters on the SPOT, and he corrected
t troops were in e the ADVANCE w Mhe9
the attack was made stated that the account of
the battle, written by Agate (Whitelaw Reid
for the Cincinnati Gazette, was all wrong so far
as 1t pertained TO the position and movement of
his troops.
1t was not his purpose to give narrative of the
events, nor to revive controversies to which that
great battle has given rise, but simply to illus
trate some of the minor phases of the battle,
from his very extensive reading about this battle
and from his personal observation. He con-
cluded that General Badeau's condensed account
in his military history was about as near the
exact exact truth truth as s,., history will likely
will do to stand by. being the exact
truth from his standpoint. He then passed to
recountng a number of incidents of the battle
One which he had never seen recorded was that
at O'Clock the first day ordered a Colonel to
occupy the wooded ravine to keep the enemy out.
The Colonel did not quickly catch the meaning
or know how to execute the movement. when
Colonel T. w. Sweeney, of an Illinois Regiment,
said: Il know what you want, and can do IT,"
and he occupied the ravine. He attached more
importance TO that event than to any of the hun
dred single achievements which he had since
heard saved the day"
He recited his encounter with Forest on the
Sth OF April, at the Rebel Hospital, in charge OF
DIR. Lyle. and told how he and his staff fled pel-
nell for safety behind their advanced Brigade.
followed by command with emptied pistols.
He had since talked with Forest, and was certain
that il the pistols had not been empty, the career
of General sherman would have ended there.
His only reference to the plan of battle was as
follows "All reliable accounts agree that Gen
eral c. Il Smith pushed the army to
Grant succeeded to the command and exercised
it at the time of the battle and that the Division
Commanders ranked in order. McClernard, Lew
L. Wallace: yet am often held responsible by
the critics for the surprise and stampede of the
fugitives although ii is equally well known that
MCPHERSON and had previously reconnoitered
the country forward for more than ten miles. and
had been skirmishing with the enemy for several |
days prior to the battle l have never been in a
battle but somebody was surprised. good
many persons were surprised at Shiloh, |
but not one that had not fair notice
everything S that e might happen. The report that
anybody was bayoneted in bed has long since |
been exploded. Prentiss Division and mine were |
in the extreme front and were all ready, when |
the blow came. All the Others were behind us |
and had ample time for preparation"
A number Of officers engaged in the discussion |
read from large number of members and invited |
guests unable TO be present. Among them were |
Generals Grant, Hancock Noyes. Sclro6eld. II. G. |
Oglesby, Surgeon General Barnes and Secretary |
Blaine At u 80 the Society marched to the Cham
Der of Commerce, which had been beautifully |
where they were received by an address of vel |
come from President UrDer. General Sherman, |
w e SAID h ses Knew 81 t8s
to have the waters of the Mississippi open for |
trade, and that 70 the Army of the Tennessee
much credit was due for the assistance In opening
that stream to free commerce General Sheridan
was called upon, and responded briefly, merely |
returning thanks and saying he was not in the
At 3 O'Clock the Society moved from the Burnett
House to Fountain Square to unveil the Nc
pha Ns,ion @aTd oy 'ne eta ~ @
cinnati Police, and the Cincinnati So
eiety of ns sxA5my and Navy Officers
led the column, followed by Generals Sheridan
and Pope. The streets were thronged. and the
Esplanade where the statue had been set up on a
much time was consumed in clearing the space
to allow the Societies TO reach their places lWhen
all were grouped about the statue General sheri,
yelled the statue, and display ed the almost speak
ing form of the beloved Mcpherson. There was
a slight applause, hats were removed and the
was spoken. The statue is one Or
dered by the Society TO be placed
on the Generals grave at CLYDE o. II is Pedes-
ing with one foot on the breech of broken can |
non His field-glass Is in enc hand and his other
hand is extended Is giving directions ms The
trian statue at Washington. This effort is regarded
as exceedingly satisfactor%
When the dirge ended a very few minutes were
spent in examining the statue, when the |
column reformed and marched back to the |
Burnet House.
The night session of the Society of the Army of
the Tennessee was held at Music Hall. The So
ciety marched. being escorted during the day by /
a detachment OF National Guards and the Cincin-
sidewalk avoid the muddy streets. The Hall /
was densely packed by brilliant assembly,
large proportion being ladies. Seats were reserved
General sherman, ex- President Hayes, General /
NJ L. Force, Colonel o. J. DOGds. General |
sheridan, Captains Cox and Leggett, Mayor Jacob |
and others. The reveille sounded and the /
colors run up amid deafening applause. This |
was followed by an organ solo. Then General |
Sherman, whose appearance brought loud ap- |
plause. called the Society to order and an |
nounced the order of the programme, beginning |
with prayer by Chaplain Mcknight. General NJ. |
4. Force, Chairman of the Local Committee, iii a /
most graceful speech told of the labor of love per-
formed IN preparing for this reunion. Charles |
Jacob Jr, Mayor, in speech OF three sentences, |
paid compliment TO the Army |
of the Tennessee, and welcomed the |
Society to the city. Governor Foster made |
names of distinguished members of this Society |
furnished by Ohio as well as by other States. |
General Sherman who to respond said the |
sight from the stage tonight told him that the |
most fitting response he could make was silence.
The presence OF this great audience was a most |
not dead. 1t is not confined 10 Ohio nor to any
state but extends over the whole empire. When |
we were fighting at Pittsburg Landing, |
nineteen years ago, we were not nghung Tor
ourselves alone but for the whole world
He then introduced Colonel o. J. DOdds, who de
ex-President Hayes was called to the front and
was received with prolonged applause. He made
a very brief speech, merely thanking the Society
for the courtesy of the invitation and the audi
ence for its cordially; and on behalf of the peO
pie of the country OF General McPherson's
to perpetuate his memory, by
placing over his grave the beautiful and spirited
statue unveiled this afternoon. The people
there cherish the memory of General Mcpherson.
and they will look with pleasure on this monu-
ment so long as they live.
briefly by General sheridan. General Pope,
General j. D. Cox, who paid q most graceful