Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-06-08
Rouslng Reunion!
The Old Soldiers Of the Grand Army
Gather Again ut the Inspiring
Tap Of the Drum.
An Immense Crowd I'm Attendance from
Grant and Other Counties Border.
ing BoscObel.

Verbatim Report Of the Addresses Of
the Different Spsakers-The Glow
ing Periods there Presented.
| The soldiers and sailors reunion now
in progress at Boscobel is probably
the largest ever held in this section. The
pleasant weather of yesterday turned
the hearts of the wavering ones and the
city was crowded by the incoming thou
sands. The day was occupied in re-
ceiving the veterans, assigning quart ers
and in organization. The large crowds
of yesterday were augmented by the ar
rivals to-day. At ten o'clock the line
was formed for the grand march and the
appearance of the old veterans once
more in rank with bayonets cleaning,
was q sight to inspire enthusiasm in the
mind of even the coolest blooded on
locker. After passing through the prin-
cipal streets of the city the veterans
marched to the fair ground, where, af-
ter music by the band, the following ad-
dress was made by the President of the
Association, Capt. c. Ii. Baxter:
COMRADES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
1t becomes my duty to call this meet
ing to order and preside upon this oc-
casion. Az year ago, when we met in
reunion at Platteville, l fully expected
you would select some one more worthy
and better qualified to discharge these
pleasant duties; but for the unexpected
and unprecedented honor of being elect
ed President of this association .'for
third term certainly wish to thank
you, and to say | am glad to meet so
many of you again, to keep alive the
fraternal feeling engendered while upon
the march, in the camp, or upon the
field of battle. This assume to be the
object and purpose of our organization.
| We have upon our rolls about seven
hundred names and we welcome all new
recruits who have done their whole duty
to the government in its hour of peril
and have an honorable discharge from
the service.
/
then are still in the prime and vigor of
life; but there are others here to-day
that show by their bent form, the wrin-
Killed. brow, and locks of gray the flight
of time and remind us of the fact that
nearly fourth of century has passed
and gone since those eventful days of
hardship and peril endured for COM
mon cause-days of marching in the
rain, through the mud, under an almost
tropical sun, along the banks of the va
ZOO, through the swamp and under the
pine wood of Georgia with SHERMAN
to the sea-" or with Grant through the
| Wilderness to victory at Appomattox
But do not believe there is one of our
number here to-day that can forget or
would ignore the friendship for that
comrade who shared with him the last
of the contents of his haversack or his
canteen Nor do l believe that YOU
regret having done what you could to
preserve the Union, to maintain the
supremacy of the old flag and the liber-
ties and institutions which it represents.
assume you are animated by the same
feelings and by the same principles for
which we fought and for which those
comrades who sleep at Anderson
vile, at Belle Isle, at Gettysburg, have
! died
Fellow citizens, have but word to
say to you, and perhaps it is unnecessary
for me t. remind you of the fact that
the civil and religious liberties you en-
joy to-day in this land has been pur-
chased at the price of blood. All along
the line from 1876 to 1865, and might
say Of the ages, patriots have died that
liberty might live. Then do not forget
or ignore that first principle incorporat-
ed in our Constitution which declares
that ''all men are created free and
equal" entitled TO certain rights and
privileges among which are "life, liber-
ty and the pursuit of happiness" See
to it that all who find home in our
land shall have q chance to earn their
bread by the sweat of their own brow
and that no man or set of men be per-
mitted to take it from th I'm. Foster
and encourage by your own example
truth. morality and sound religion, re-
Numbering that righteousness exalteth
a nation but that sin is reproach to
any people" Educate your sons and
your daughters and teach them the acts
of peace. to labor with their own hands,
and with love to God and love to coun-
try implanted in their hearts this Re-
public will stand the shock of the ages.
On behalf of our association, | wish
to thank the citizens of this beautiful
and enterprising city for this patriotic
this enthusiastic-this almost affection
ate welcome, and to say to these distin-
guished guests and the masses of the peo-
pie from the hills and wales of old Grant,
that we appreciate the honor they do
us by their presence. 1t is a sign to
us that you love liberty and hate OPP
pression-that you appreciate what the
army of the union did to free our land
from wrong-that the eternal principles
of justice and humanity for which we
fought have not persisted but still live
in the hearts of this people.
A prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. S.
w. Eaton, then followed, after which
came a song, when Hon. j. d. Wilson,
Mayor of Boscobel, stepped forward
and made an appropriate welcoming
address.
Capt A. r. Bushnell then responded
on behalf of the association as follows
Mr.. MAYOR and people of the city OF
Boscobel: In behalf of my comrades.
soldiers of the late war, here assembled,
most heartily thank YOU for your
kindly words of welcome and your bound
less hospitality to us extended, on the
occasion of this our third Grant county
reunion.
Some of us do not now, for the first
: time as soldiers, enjoy the entertain
ment offered through the liberality.
largeness and patriotism of the Bosco-
bellisn heart. / well remember tina,
twenty-one years ago this summer,
when Co. c. of the 9TH regiment came
up across the county from Platteville on
our way to rendezvous at camp Randall,
no commissary's billet was necessary to
find us house room and rations here in
Boscobel. You then took us into your
families, as you have again done now,
fed and lodged us, babe us God speed. as
you again do sll of the old soldiers here
now, and all will leave you, as C's &C. did
7 al 49, l,.m