The National tribune., 1882-10-05
GRANTS OLD REGIMENT.
ROusing Gathering Of the TWeuty-Grst Illinois
Infantry Mt Terre Hau;e.

ROusng Gathering Of the TWenty-arst Illinois
Infantry at Terre Haute.
Special Correspondence National Tribune.
TERRE HAUTE, IND, Sept. 2f.-The Reunion
of General Grants regiment, the Twenty-frst
Illinois, with members Of great number of
Indiana regiments, on the Goth, 21st, and 2:2d,
in this city, was an inspiring scene. 1t brought
back the days of 81 and 80, when we were
arming for the conhct-music playing flags
waving, and soldiers marching through the
streets.
The gathering in Court Park of old comrades
in arms was exceedingly interesting Men who
had not met for years grasped each others hands
in q fervor OF happy recognition. Time has
wrought great changes in the personal appear
ance of the men who were mustered out of the
service at the close Of the war We were all about
on the same social footing then, and all dressed
about alike. Now, members of the same CON-
pany are widely divided in social life. We had
but one political faith then, and that was the
preservation Of the Union. Now, we are divided
in our notions Of politics and religion. Still
the bond of comradeship is too strong to be
sundered, and as the sands of time run lower in
JIG glass; t!lt Clc tdb DOuutl US together Inc
dark days of the rebellion grows stronger.
The welcoming address was delivered by Col.
Wm. Z. Mclean, Of the old Forty-third Indiana,
and responded to by Col. r. s. Robertson. Both
addresses were full of the ardent loyalty to coun-
try and the warm friendship for their old COM
rades that burns in their veins.
In the course of his remarks Col. Mclean
said:
My comrades and friends, from the first
campaign in Western Virginia to the grand
operations which resulted so glOriOusIy In the
surrender of the armies of Lee and of Johnston,
wherever in our war history was written in
blood there could be found, side by side, upon
the bloody field OF Chickamauga, at Stone
River, at Gettysburg, the Wilderness, every
where, the bleeding forms of the soldiers from
Illinois and the soldiers from Indiana. APP
piause.l \ regiment raised in our sister State,
a regiment made famous, not only by its record
of many splendid achievements upon the field
but made dOubly famous by the name of its
first illustri0uS commander, then Col. Ulysses
5. Grant, has conferred upon our city and upon
the State of Indiana the honor of holding here,
in our beautiful city, its present annual Re-
union. Our hearts go ont in welcome to the
| Twenty-first Illinois Upon this occasion,
however, We are not soldiers from Illinois or
soldiers from Indiana, but soldiers of the
/ Union, all uniting in the belief that greater
than Illinois and grander than Indiana are tho
stars and stripes floating over the United
States. Applause. As one happy household
we can come around the table of memory; we
can recall she glorious days Of the past, and
the old scenes, which linger yet, fresh and
green, on memOry's brightest page. APP
plause.
Colonel Robertson, in responding, said:
Those who survived those four terrible years
can meet To revive the recOllecUiOus of those
days by such Reunions as these, and feel manly
pride in the part we took in that great struggle,
no matter how small that part may have been,
but we must Tot forget TO drop silent tear to
the memory Of those dear comrades who fell,
and whose bones now lie in known ard I'M
known graves on southern bat1le-ieids aGd
prison dens, and for those who by wounds and
disease incurred in defence of their country,
have fallen by the wayside since.
They died for the Old Flag" Old Glory, we
used to call it--that beautiful flag We I'll love
so we'll; the flag which has waved in triumph
from the Heights Of abraham to the Halls Of
the Montezumas from the Lakes to the Gult
and from the Potomac to the Rio Grande, the
flag which has So often led US to victory, on
many blood bou rht field.
Its stars and stripes have waved over our
cradles, and our charging ranks. May it wave
over our graves forever, reminding all who look
upon the brilliant folds Of red, white, and blue,
of the lesson it bears in every CLINT and flash Of
its colors in the sunlight of Heaven. LAp-
plause.l
During the Reunion speeches were also made
by Generals Manson, Streight, Coburn, and
others
On the second day sham battle was fought.
This little diversion was short and decisive.
Captain Ruggles commanded the artillery
two guns and was assaulted by a company
under Captain Davis. Though twice repulsed,
Captain DaviS's company succeeded in capturing
one of the guns, which was borne OFF by the
victOrs.
After the sham battle the visitors returned to
the city, only the soldiers encamped remaining
on the grounds.
In the evening, the rain still continuing, the
entertainment at the camp was confined to short
addresses in the amphitheatre by Captain Free
land, DR.. Swanord, and Captain Williams, all of
the Twenty-frst Illinois, and Captain Welton,
of the Fifty-frst Indiana.
Some fifteen years ago Grand Army organ
ization was effected in Clay county, and was
kept up with varied success until two years ago,
when it was merged into the Ex-Union Prison
ers Association, of the eighth Congressional dis
trict with headquarters at Terre Haute. We'd
nesday night the annual meeting and election
of officers was held. The President, Lyle G.
Adair, was unanimously reelected; Major
Moss, of Clay county, was elected Viee-president;
]. c. SpauIding. of Terre Haute, Secretary, and
William Greenleaf, OF Terre Haute, Treasurer.