Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-08-30
GOV. RUsk, GEN. FAIRCHILDS, AND OTHER
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS ASSIST IN THE
PLEASURES OF THE DAY,
The Gathering one Of The Most Pleasant rs w el:
as The Largest Ever Held In the
City OF Lancaster
Early Fires of Patriotism Rekindled and Renewed
In the Stories Of the Brave
Days Of Old
All Exercises Pass Or without Jar or Accident to
Mar the Harmony and Pleasure
of the Occasion
THE GATHERING.

THE GATHERING.
The men who believe that the SOL
der business is ''played OUT who are
of the opinion that outside of politicians,
who are working the lead for personal
profit, there is little of the old war ele-
ment left, who think that the veterans of
the late war care very little what has be-
come OF The old comrades, ought to have
been present at the reunion last week
and found just how badly they were
mistaken. They should have been
where they could have witnessed the
close grasp of hands, the glistening
eyes, and have heard the hearty well
come and "God bless you," as old COM
rades who had parted, some on the
battle fields of the south where one was
taken by ruthless shot or shell to come
back torn and manned and the other
left to carry his musket through to the
sea, some at the muster out when they
had safely reached home, some in the
wildness of a southern night when sur
rounded by masses of rebels, one had
fought his way out while his comrade
was hurried to the gloomy stockade
that surrounded the prison pens of the
south; if any scoffer could have stood
by on those two days and witnessed
these greetings rs of "a long estrangcd
family, he would have buried his snecrs
fathoms deep not to be resurrected
again in this generation.
THIS FOURTH REUNION
of the Grant County Soldiers and Sail
ors Association was one of the largest as
well as one of the most successful gath
erings of the kind that was ever
held in the state. Favored with glor-
ious weather, large assemblage num-
bering according to estimates of those
versed in computing the size of similar
gatherings over ten thousand, composed
of individual fractions each bent on
getting the Very best time possible out
of the two days, the net result was a
general good time which was as crafty
ing to the hosts as it was pleasurablc to
the guests. A great many distinguished
guestswere present from abroad but some
were absent whose presence would have
added much to the pleasure of the gath
ering to the old soldiers. OF this class
were Gems. Gibbons and Bragg both of
whom were expected, the latter being
down for the address. 1t is safe to say
| that only the most urgent business pre-
vented their attendance, but those that
were here were warmly greeted and it
was hard to tell which had the most
pleasure out of the gathering, those
who have gone on creeping higher each
year since the old campaigning days,
or those who have contentedly and
humbly TILED the soil while proudly
watching the career of their old COM
rades; as they all met on common
footing during the reunion it was hard
TO till which enjoyed the meeting the
most.
] he first thing to meet the visitor
were the outward signs of adornment,
which the city had put on to greet the
incoming veterans. A review of
THE DECORATIONS
showed that the committee had executed
its work well. The art patriotic was
displayed in and around the courthouse
square in slightly manner and en-
braced four arches over the main
and side entrances of the park. The
arches were composed of evergreens,
wrappings of red. white and blue, flags
and wreaths. The center arch was
surmounted by large eagle perched
upon a shield, DR.. A. H. Barber, taxi
dermist. The platform for speaker and
distinguished guests was Respondent
with its immense flag canopy, its cor
ners and sides decked with knots of
state and battle flags, all tattered and
ragged with shot and shell. These side
flags were the property of Gen. Jno. B.
Calls, brought from the battle helds of
the late rebellion. They bore regi-
mental inscriptions and notices, but
owing to the ravages of time and shells
it was impossible to get the same. The
headquarters tent was decorated with
the 1st. 14th, 20th and Esd corps flags.
\ gay scene met the eye as it ranged
along the streets. Suspended BY rope
stretched across the street from the
| Wright House to THE HERALD office
building was mammoth shield bear
ing the inscription, Welcome Sol
diers," the work of the committee on
decoration, and the fine taste displayed
on the piece signifed that this commit
tee had been well chosen. Further east
in like manner between Henkel & Wen