The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-06-03

OF music, speaking, &c, ut the stand in Wash
ington Square, followed by strewing flowers up
on the graves Of those soldiers who lie buried il
the cemeteries of this city, by committees ap
pointed for that purpose. The soldiers monu
ment was tastefully though not deliberately deco
rated with small wreaths, bouquets, eyergreens
&c; the speakers stand was honored by The
presence of the old regimental flag OF the Did
and several company flags OF other regiments
The regimental flag bore card with the brie
words, "Fifty-third Ills. Regimental Flag An
other, eleventh Regiment Ills. Vol. Infantry.
This flag was presented to Co. by Ottawa ladies'
and afterwards taken for the regmcntal flag dur
ing the first year of the war, and last used by the
regiment at the burial Of those who fell at the
battle of Doneson, where 6S of this regimen,
were buried in one long grave. 1t, with its tat
tered folds and slivered staff, was presented tc
Col. Wallace by that sadly shortened line before
they left the grave" third flag was inscribed
"Cogswell's Battery, Ills. Light Artillery. Bat
ties Corinth, Vicksburg, Jackson, Chattanooga
Another, "Houghtaling's Battery, Co. +, 10Th
Ills. Reg't. This flag was made by some of the
young ladies of Ottawa, from material obtained
here, in April 1861, and is the first flag presented
in La Sale county to the volunteer soldiers. l,
was presented to this company from the steps OF
the court house by W. H. w. Cushman, Esq, on
behalf of the ladies who made it, at noon of the
day the company left for the war-Aprl o. 1861
A procession, composed of officers OF the day
Fitzgerald's Band, Co. F, 18th Reg't, Gen. Wal
lace's war-horsc led by VIM. Armstrong, color
bearer of the old 18th, and citizens, formed at the
Armory between half.past one and two O'Clock
and marched to the Square, being Joined at the
Congregational Church by the delegations Of
boys with bouquets When all was ready the
Band rendered fine selection, followed by 1.-THE
Eve Before the Battle" by the Musical Associa
ton, led by Chas. Green. After prayer by Rev
E. G. Arnold and another selection by the Musi
cal Association, f. c. Allen, Esq., president of the
day, introduced the orator, Rev. &. B. Barnes
Scarcely had the speaker begun his addres:
before the rain commenced to fall, and with the
first drops a large number of the audience left
the ground, while the remainder raised umbrel
las. But the speaker proceeded with his address
scarcely doing himself the justice other anG
more favorable circumstances would have rem
dered. But he said enough to outline some o
the most brilliant thoughts and tender tributes
70 the departed dead that were ever conceived
It is scarcely possible to give even fair synopsis
OF his remarks, but in them are a few that will
long be remembered as will be the we'll deserved
tribute to Gen. Wallace: "Wallace, whose nam,
yon marble lips pronounce-mute orator OF th'
occasion Wallace, while it was not mine tC
meet thee in bodily form, rs it was the higf
privilege Of many who are about me to do; thy
presence feel to-day, and thy voice hear. Anc
what does it say? To me it says, BE bette
man-a Drawer, a truer.' And to us all IL says
'Embody IN your lives the principles in whose
defense / fought and FELL And what say we il
return? Martyr. hero! friend these, thy ad
monitions, from henceforth and for aye shall hnt
warmer welcome in our hearts, Our soldiers
like Our Master, gave their lives for others; an(
from that fatal April day in '6l when the or.
rang out through the land, 'Sumpter has beer
fired on to that other April day in '65 when thu
thrill OF sorrow ran Though the nation and thu
words were spoken, Lincoln has been shot, WI
had our Gethsemane and our Golgotha Thos'
events we commemorate; those deaths w
mourn" In speaking Of the Union dead tn
following tribute was paid to the gray: "
say our Union dead! And why not our Confed
crate dead as well ?-equal in bravery; equal il
devotion to an end; equal, nay, superior in suffer
ing. Why withhold from these the apotheosi
OF our love% And then the speaker sought t
show that the difference was in the holiness o
the cause and the lack OF education to direct il
the right way. 1.-THE principles that were set
tied with the blood OF the land must never b,
disturbed. When our southern brethren &C
knowledge their defeat, then we can clasp hand
and our common tears will fall alike upon Uniol
and Confederate"
Notwithstanding the rain, Mr.. Barnes spok
for over half an hour; after which the benedic
ton was pronounced by Mr. Arnold and the re
mainder Of the audience dispersed