The National tribune., 1881-09-17
SOLDIERS REUNION,

The eighth annual National Volunteers Re
union at Caldwell, Ohio September 9th, was 4
brilliant success. Veterans and visitors from
abroad were present in large numbers and long pro-
cessions kept pouring in in wagons carriages. and
on horseback from the surrounding country
Judge Lawrence ofthe Federal Treasury, Generals
Pond and Dawes, r. q. Richards. and host of
prominent invited guests arrived in camp which
was anatural forest where such reunions have been
always held, and where General Sherman, Pres-
dent Hayes, and General Garfield have often
addressed them. There the National Volunteers
Reunion was held, and all distinctions of rank
utterly ignored a thing of the past. Congress,
on motion of Garfield, by unanimous vote in
1876, provided for it by special act, and the
presence of such distinguished speakers and its
liberal principles have made it national. Private
DalZell delivered the address OF welcome which
was eloquently responded to by Judge Lawrence
Governor Foster, Captain Cook Senator Richards
and others.
An OK barbecue was served in true soldier
style amidst much merriment. The air rang all
day with Union cheers, the noise of cannon and
martial music, and at night the woods were
brilliant with camp-fires and glorious amid the
splendOrs of a charming moonlight night.
1t was unanimously resolved by the veterans
10 build a Garfield soldiers memorial hall on the
spot where they have so often listened to his
touching elOquence, and an organization was eff
fected for that purpose. The stricken President
was most kindly remembered, and many an eve
was mOistened and many a lip quivered as Pri-
vate Dalzell alluded to the illustrious sufferer
With all the meetings and greetings of old vet
Grams, most of whom had not seen each other
since two years ago, when they stood together
listening to their beloved Garfield here, there
was still something sad about the reunion after
all. The crowd seemed solemn and somewhat
restrained in their merriment by the sad refec-
tiOnS that the great man, who ss0 deartO them to-
day lies pale and suffering down by the sea-
Every speaker alluded to this melancholy fact
and what gave it such special significance was.
that almost every one of that vast crowd was in
timately acquainted with the stricken President
and had often listened to his mastery eloquence
After hearing such orator and hero as he it
was hard indeed today to expect any man to
stand IN his place as speaker without pro-
found sense Of disappointment and failure.
Letters OF regret were read from John Hay OF
the New York Tribune, Generals Grant. Leggett.
Fitzpatrick, Logan, ThurlOw Weed Oliver Wen
dell Holmes, Henry w LOngfelOw, Vice-Presi-
ldent Arthur, Senator COnkling, the Hon Joseph
Medill Of THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE. General
NOyes, John Sherman, Wendell Phillips, General
o. O. Howard, General Devens. Governor Long
of Massachusetts, the Hon Il. G. IngersolI the
Hon. Robert I. Lincoln, Secretary of War, Gen
eral EnOchs Fred Douglass, and George William
Curtis. Many Of the letters very long and
all exhibited great interest in the reunion be-
cause of its distinguished history and praisewOr-
thy purposes. The following was sent
CALDWELL, O.. Sept. so Mrs. Lucretia T.
Garfield Long Branch: The soldiers of Company
ID. FOrty-second Ohio Regiment, and their COM
rades in renniOn here today send their profound
and heartfelt sympathy with yourself and your
noble husband, and earnest prayers for early and
complete recovery. J. NJ. DALZELL,
L. II. ARCHER, Chairman