The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-10-06
WAR MEMORIES.
Reunion of the 104th Regiment
U. V. |.
Cordial Greetings Exchanged and Old Rem
inisoenCes AwakenSd-Scen and
Incidents of the Occasion.

The fourteenth annual reunion of the
lO4th o. V. |. was held here Oh Wednes-
day last, and large number of former
members of the regiment were in at
tendance, the greater part of them be-
ing accompanied by their wives and
children. Flags were hOisted on most
of the prominent buildings of the city,
and the fronts of almost all the busi-
ness houses were handsomely decorated
with the National and Grand Army
cOlOTS in honor of the occasion. The
members arriving by the different rail-
roads leading into the city were escorted
to SchaefeT's Opera House by the resi-
dent members of the regiment and the
Canton Cadets, accompanied by the
Grand Army band.
At one o'clock the veterans assembled
in the Opera House, and after music by
the Grand Army band, Mayor PierO de-
livered an address of welcome to the
city. which was responded to in an eX-
cellent manner by Captain A. j. Ricks,
upon the conclusion of which, the boys
fell in and marched to the new market
house on Seventh street, where most
bOuntiful dinner awaited their attack,
furnished by the Ladies' Auxiliary SOci-
ETY. of Canton. The interior of the mar
ket house was beautifully decorated
with flags, and contained two long Ia
bleS which ran the entire length of the
building, loaded down with an array of
edibles calculated to appeaSe the era
wings of the most fastidiOus appetite.
After satisfying the wants of the inner
man, the boys again assembled III the
Opera House, where the regular bnsi-
ness meeting of the regiment was held,
and the most imp rtant part of the re-
union took place; Col. W. j. Jordan, the
former Lieutenant Colonel of the 104th
presided. After prayer by the Rev. ia
cob V. Lerch, the minutes of the last
meeting, held at Salem, were read by
the secretary, Mr.. Paul Field, followed
by the roll call of companies. Letters
Of regret at not being able to be present
were next read from comrades W. ID.
Russell, IL. B. Foster and +. G. Sweet.
Comrades A. W. BOmberger, S. NJ. Knapp
Vim. G.. Bentley and Jesse Kessner were
appointed by the President "a committee
on the time and place of holding the
next annual reunion, and VIM. Grinell,
Paul Field, VIM. Schroeder and W. A.
Wikadal, n committee to prepare TesO-
lutiOns of respect on deceased comrades.
The old QuarteTmaSter of the regiment,
Mr.. Jacob SchaefeT, of Minneapolis,
Mimi, brother of our fellow towns
man, Mr.. Louis SchRefer, and former
resident of Canton, being present, was
next introduced to the boys, and on
making his appearance was greeted
with enthusiastic applause. Mr.. Schaefer
was visibly aOvercOme with the emotion
at the heaTtineSs of his reception, and
the sight of 50 many old familiar fac s
who had shared with him in the joys and
SORROWS of war. After addressing his
former comrades in a beautiful little
speech, replete with much feeling, he
entertained them with a few pleasant
and humorous anecdotes of army life,
that were received with shouts of laugh
ter. The following is Mr.. Schaefer's
speech in full:
Comrades: From tile distant valley of
the upper Mississippi, near the cataract
of st. Anthony Falls, | have come to
greet you on this interesting occasion.
l have come to renew acquaintances
made sacred by the ties of friend
blood that tried this great and good Re-
public, see around me the familiar
faces of those fOndly remembered, to
whom 1t was my province, in an humble
way, to administer to the wants from
the best that the larder of the q. 8. Com
missary Department afforded.
1t is the source of the greatest pleas
ure to me that find so many comrades
present at this reunion who, by their
genial, kindly recognition, which tells
of sympathetic feelings born of kindred
labOTs, make them now and ever band
of loved brothers. May merciful
Providence ever watch over and protect
us during our earthly pilgrimage, and
may we all be present at the great
Roll call in that house not
made with hands, eternal in The heavens.
COmrade Ricks, of Cleveland, was
next called upon to read an article
meeting of the Soldiers and Sail
ors' Veteran Association of Cleve-
land, on his celebrated ride through
the ranks of an army 10000 strong, an
nOuncing to his weary and war-wOrn
comrades the news of Lees surrender
with his whole army to Grant. The
reading awakened many tender recOl-
lectiOnS of the scenes incidental to this
important event, bringing the moisture
to many an old veterans eye, and was
loudly applauded at the close.
President Jordan next unfurled the
old reglmental cOlOrs, tattered and torn,
and stained with the smoke of a hundred
battles, which the veterans greeted with
three rOuSing cheers and tiger, coming
to a standing position as they did so.
The committee on resolutions of re-
spect for deceased comrades then report
ed a set of appropriate resolutions in hon
or of the dead comrades, and the commit
tee on time and place of holding the
next meeting reported the first Tuesday
in October, 1884, the time. and Alliance
the place, for holding the next annual
reunion.
The officers elected for the ensuing year
were as follows: President, w. j. JOr-
dan, of New Lisbon; Vice President, S.
M. Knapp; Secretary, NJ. NJ. SOuthwarth,
of Alliance; Treasurer, VIM. G. Bentley,
of Salem. After the reading of the fol-
lowing set of resolutions, prepared by
the committee to whom the matter was
referred, the meeting adjourned until
next year.
RESOLVED, That the Committee ex-
tend congratulations to the Regiment
upon the auspices and happy circum-
stances under which this reunion is
held, and, suggest it as an occasion
which calls for special thanks to the
many lady representatives of the fami-
lies of comrades for their attendance to-
day.
RESOLVED, That we extend our thanks
TO the local committee of arrangements
for their thoughtful preparations for the
reunion.
RESOLVED, That we also extend our
thanks to the ladies of Canton, and es-
snnl o., Nf he