Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-09-14
THE CONTINUANCE
Of the Reunion of West Virginia
Soldiers at Parkersburg.
Twenty Thousand Strangers Invade the
City From All Points Of the Compass
The Grand Parade by
Day, and I ..
FIREWORKS AND BATTLE AT NIGHT.
spectal Dispatch to the Register.

quiet streets of Parkersburg could scarcely
realize that within her walls reposed the
thousands of strangers who yesterday
crowded her streets with perfect sea OF
humanity, and it speaks we'll for the sur
yivers of the grand old army of West Vir-
ginia and their friends, who came here to
greet them. Another beautiful autumn
day dawned upon our city, and at an early
hour it was apparent that yesterdays
number
Would he Swelled by Thousands. -
At7 O'Clock over fifteen hundred people
had reached here by wagons, on horseback
and on foot, one soldier having walked
over one hundred miles in order to greet
his old comrades of the war. The B. & o.
brought in over two thousand people. The
various steamers plying between this and
adjacent points, about dozen in number,
came into port rese milling huge masses OF
humanity. The Belleville and Marietta
packets were obliged to
Bring Barges I'm Tow
in order to carry the people, and then were
compalled to leave hundreds on the banks.
The Courier, which was detained by the fog,
and did not reach here until IL O'Clock,
brought down large number OF persons,
who are loud in their complaints against
the officers of the boat, who charged full
fare when it was generally understood that
arrangements had been made for half fare.
Again, the neglect Of the officers OF the
Courier caused great inconvenience TO the
managers of the association, and but for
the indefatigable Major Shaw our visiting
friends would
Have Been Badly Disappointed
in regard to the sham battle to take place
in Fort Foreman tonight. Governor Jack
sonshad the small arms ammunition
necessary for the occasion taken to the
wharf-bOa at Wheeling and there 1t is yet:
Marietta contributed over 1000 people, and
the Seventh (Putnaml Light Artillery,
commanded by Captain Dow. BY noon the
crowd MAS estimated at 10000 people, and
in all this sea of surGing humanity the best
of order prevailed.
AGrand Review OF the Troops
took place at IL o'clock. A procession, in
command of Capt. c. B. Smith, was formed
and the principal streets paraded. The
procession was headed by one OF our city
bands. The survivors of the various West
Virginia regiments followed in order, and
carried some of the old battle flags, whose
tsttered and blood-stained folds revealed
the scenes of carnage through which
they had passed. The First, Second,
Fourth, Sixth, Eighth. Ninth, Tenth,
Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth In
fantry, and the Twenty-third Ohio, with
the Twentieth and Fourteenth West Vir-
einia Cayaly were represented in the line
The Parkersburg Fire Company and Hook
and Ladder Company No. took part in the
parade, lead by one OF the city bands, and
made fine display.
The Exercises Opened
at the wigwam at two o'clock. Gen. Chas.
Grosvener, Of Ohio, who was to speak, be-
ing absent, the programme was changed
and two hours passed pleasantly with music
sGyeaHtGson h6isS re%G0 %G0 IS Of It the Ggoy
the people present, was called on and re.
sponded in his happy way. He could get
used to most anything, but he did not like
to be called to fill the place OF Bob lnger-
soil and other big guns who were to have
been here and address the people. The
Governor prayed for the voice OF the loco
motive, which at this junCture drowned his
voice by its shrill whistle. But our city cele'
brated rs.
The Nursery of Statesmen
| could furnish men tor any position, and it
| is only ParkersbGrg that can equal ONO IN
| this respect and thought it would be
| capital idea to annex the city with the
| Buckeye State, but General Wilds objected
| TO that, as he was afraid We would want to
| fill all the offices. The Governor thought
| il required a soldier as we'll asa statesman
| to face that vast army of bright-eyes in
this vast assembly, and for hls part would
rather face battery OF artillery. In speak
| ing of the blessings of free and happy
nation, war brought its mysery and evil
but that fact it established, and that its
force will never have to be resorted to is
one only to
Enforce the Laws OF the Land.
| The ballot, which he compared to the
| silent snowflake, is all the army we need,
| and hoped that the many existing evils
would be wiped out by this silent arbitra-
| ton, and urged the great necessity OF
| preserving the ballot box from all fraud.
| The Governor closed with the following
eloquent language: "From Maine to Cali
fornia that glorious September sun in his
| orbit does not shine upon the castle OF a
tyrant or the hut of slave
Gen. Thos. L. Wilds, of Ohio, followed
Gov. Stevenson, and in elegant language
led his hearers
over the Hard Fought Battle Fields
of West Virginia. The march was rough
| one-over the noun tains, across the rivers,
up and down the alleys-now suffering de.
feat, then gaining a victory. The fierce
| contests at Smokers Ford, Clyde Noun
lain, Winchester, Rocky Ford, Cedar Creek
! and q hundred of other hotly contested
fields, passed in panoramic view before the
vast audience, and the scene in Shenandoah
Valley, when the gallant Phil. Sheridan
came TO the rescue OF the Union forces was
vividly portrayed by the speaker. He re.
ferred in touching language to the gallant
officers, among whom were the lamented
! Capt. Bier who was in command OF Mar
| chall pnnpfy pnrnnanv and who
Died With n Rifle I'm His Hands,
This brief outline does not do the speaker
justice.
At this juncture Col. W. H. Enochs, of
Irontofi, Ohio, who has so efficiently dis
charged his duties as chairman OF the As
sociation was compelled to leave for home
much to the regret of all present. The
Colonel paid glowing tribute to West
| Virginia soldiers and extended hearty in
vitations to all TO attend the next reunion
which meets next year in Ironton, the
home of Col. Enochs.
Major Skinner, of the Ninth West Vir-
ginia, was appointed to preside, and Col.
Donel, of the Tenth West Virginia, was
called on for an address. The Colonel ira Y
eled over one thousand miles TO greet his
comrades. and as he guzed over this assem-
bly, he saw enough patriotism to
Preserve the Union Forever.
Next came a glorious hallelujah by the
one thousand voices in the wigwam, which
fairly raised the old canvass above their
| heads.
| Col. Dan johnson briefly revived the
scenes of the last twenty years, and closed
with q touching rehearsal of the burial
scene, and requested the military
| hand that was present to play the
a funeral march. The band responded with
a funeral dirge, and as the last sad strain
died away, the silent tears which fell from
the eyes of thousands was an evidence that
the tender chord had been touched and the
Absent Soldier Still Remembered.
Hon. John A. Hutchinson closed the eIer-
cises in brief but appropriate address.
| The speaker paid q high tribute to the
Army of West Virginia, and did not forget
the fair ones present He said: For the
| privilege of being here to-day We are in
debted to the Army of West Virginia aud
to them we are indebted for the grand lit
| tie mountain State of West Vieginia,
of which We were all so proud and forwhich
we should not forget to shed a tear for those
noble men who are not here to-day to re-
spond to the roll call and enjoy our com.