The National tribune., 1883-09-06
TIE TIES THAT BIND.
How Our Veterans are Renewing
Their Army Friendships.
soldiers and Sailors Reunion at St. Joseph, mich

Soldiers and Sailors Reunion at st. Joseph Mich
The Reunion of veteran soldiers and sailors
held at st. Joseph on Wednesday, Thursday,
and Friday, August 22 %, and II, under the
auspices of the Southwestern Michigan Soldiers
and Sailors Union, was the largest gathering
of veterans that has occurred In Michigan since
the war. 1t was estimated that the number of
people in ST. Joseph on Thursday was thirty
thousand. five or six thousand of whom were
veteran soldiers, and two or three thousand
members of the G.. A. K. Guard mounting,
IL parade, &C, were held at stated hours
each day On Thursday the public exercises
took place, consisting OF grand procession. ad-
dresses, music, &c. The citizens of st. Joseph
fed, without charge, all the veterans and their
families who desired to partake of their hOspi-
tality, and although the number was much
larger than was anticipated. and the undertake
ing of much greater magnitude than anybody
had for moment dreamed OF. the citizens of
the place did graIdiy IN discharging the task
which they had assumed Provisions were
donated in abundance, and scores of the patri-
otto ladies of the place worked like heroines to
entertain the thousands who ate at their tables.
The veterans were lodged in Wall tents, 200 of
them being furnished for the occasion by the
State. AT the close of the exercises on Thurs
day the annual election of the association was
held, resulting in the election of Major a. W.
Wells, of Buchanan as president; Colonel T.
Aldrich, of CassopOiis was elected first vice.
president; Colonel David Bacon, of Niles. sec
retary, and S. T. Street, of Three Rivers, treas
urer.
Colonel B. F. Hill, of Kalamazoo, stated that
the soldiers and sailors homes in the country
were unable to accommodate the increasing
veteran invalids and offered q resolution,
which was adopted, urging Michigan's Senators
and Representatives to strenuousiy endeayor
to secure the establishment of q national home
for disabled soldiers and sailors in this State.
General Pritchard offered a resolution. which
was adopted, requesting the Michigan legis-
lature to provide for the organization and
equipment OF companies and regiments OF vet
eTan soldiers and sailors as part of the per-
| manent military forces of the State, and also
asking Senators and Representatives in Con-
gresS to urge the immediate revision of the
| national statutes relative to the organization
and maintenance of the national militia, in
order to bring the State and national laws on
the subject into harmony, and to better meet
| the present advanced improvement in military
affairs. Copies Of the resolution were ordered
| sent to members of Congress and Adjutant-
General Drum,U S. A.
General 0. A. James, Department Com
| mander, was present, and made short speech.
Brief addresses were also delivered by General
| Robertson, Acknowledgement of the State, eX-
| Congressman Burrows, and others. Friday,
| the last day, was devoted to regimental Reun-
ions. Camp broke at 2 o'clock p. NJ, and the
Reunion closed.
The following Posts were represented: Phil
Kearney, No. 7, Muslzegou, Mich, 81 men G. Fl
| Thomas IA, Benton Harbor, 81; A. Lincoln, 49,
| Bangor, Sc; Ellsworth, 20, Hartford, IL; w
| Perrott, %, Buchanan, 45; Burnside, 81, Deca-
| tur, SO; Champlain, %, Grand. Rapids, Is;
| Brodhead, 81, Paw Paw. 30; Farragut. 81, Bat
| tie Creek, 81; w. G. Eaton, 81, 0tsego, Is; a.
| Chandler, 35 South Haven, %; Geo. G.. Meade
&c. Berrian Centre 20; Fitzpatrick. SO. Berrian
| Springs, 60; G. T. Foster, AZ, Lansing, 65; A
| W. Allen, Al, Pokagon, %; III. C. Gilbert, AZ
Dowagiac, "A; E. Pomeroy, 4S, Jackson, 10
| Wadsworth. 49, Lawrence, 50; T. Manning, 81
Marcellus, S5; A. Calvin, SO, Gobblesville. SO
F. Graves, 81, Niles, 80; w. J. May, 65, Jones
| So; E. NJ. Prutzman, -, Three Rivers, G.
| Orcutt, 70, Kalamazoo, 81; w. A. Kent SO
Greenville, 52; C. Woodruff, S5, Three Oaks
| 5l; Corbin, So, Union City, 30; Carter, 60
Union, Cass county, IS; Butterworth, 100
| Coldwater, 10; Elliot, lis, White Pigeon, -
J. C. JOSS 123, Constantine, II; Henry Liddle
131, Colon, 90; Ii. Granger, 142, Bridgeman
20; A. Anderson, 157, Cassopolis, 90; Anten
8, South Bend Ind, "a; Elmer, 81, Elkhars
$50; c. w. Howell, so, Goshen 25; Hathaway
no. Rolling Prairie, z. Two representative.
from French Post, No. g. of Big Rapids, Mich.
and one each from Posts Nos. z and 2S, of Chi
cago, were present with Post No. T. OF Muske
gon.