Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1883-08-18

"a" SEVERAL THOUSAND, PEoPLE
From the Surrounding country Wv were
already on the grounds when the res
unionists iron this city began to arrive,
and by 10 o'clock people, ,wagons;places
OF amusement, refreshment stands, etc.,
were scattered among the trees over an
area of.nearly two miles square. The
stand where the ceremony oft occa
sion took place was eerected: q few hum,
dred yards from bloody bill, the spot
where the patriot Lyon fell amidst the
din ofbattie. Around this stand were
,congregated veterans, men, women ;cfiil-
dren, and people of i. all sorts. "A few
minutes before noon Maj. Jones Of this
city, opened the formal exercises by
Hon. Robert A. Campbell,
governOFo Of Missouri, who.
gdeivefsdr the opening address as fol-
h "1nfssfsb5faoo cd ;aosioaS BAG ns
LIEUT-Gov. cAAPREII's ADDRESS.
Soldiers of the federal and, confeder-
ate armies, survivors of the battle of
Wilson's Greek, the men Of the South
and of this great commonwealth, I
welcome you to the spot made sacred
by its baptism of fire and the ibation
OF your blood and forever rendered inn
mortal by your deeds of heroic valor.
When you last met and parted on this
hallowed field p years ago to- day it
was amid the thunder Of artillery, the
shrek of fshrapnel, the rattle of musket-
ry, and the agonizfng groans of
your wounded and dying comrades.
The benevolent forces of nature and
the white winged spirit of peace have
hidden from our sight with a lovely
mantle OF green, the bloody memories
of that day, and the hands which then
offered to each other foemen's steel are
now. clasped in fraternal union and
concord. shall not attempt to portray
the thrilling scenes Of the mighty
tragedy which was then enacted The
muse of history will, / trust, gather the
glorious. legend from your lips and
transmit il to posterity stamped with
the seal of truth. The issues for which
you then imperilled yourlives are now
happily settled and we have met to-
gether, not to review them, but to tes-'
tify to the world and to posterity that
former foemen can be fellow citizens.
-'9@ AND FAITHFUL FRIENDS,
And that the same spirit of patriotism
and love of liberty which led you into
hostile paths limited youin common
purpose to render. your common conn
try forever peaceful, powerful and free.
Of the Is 900 heroes who met here in, a
struggle for victory, how few remain
How many survive and are here to-
day? zee before me Berry, Blair,
Merritt and Gates, but we do not be-
hold clasped by tile hand the gallant
McCullOch OF Lyon, the glorious Rains
or Totten, or the intrepid Mcintosh or
Dubois. One thousand gallant spirits
winged their flight through sulphu-
rous canopy which then overshadowed
this CORY field, and many more shared
the same fate in the later battles fought
to lnaintain:their several convictions of
duty and right. Peace be to their
ashes. May every fond recollection of
them be a requiem for their souls. Oh,
if there is on this earthly sphere boon,
an Offering heaven holds dear, it is the
last libation that liberty draws from
the heart that bleeds and breaks in its
cause. 1t is a fact, perhaps, not gen
orally known, chat but for the want of
cartridge boxes on the part of the con-
federate forces to protect their ammu-
milton from the storm which prevailed
the night before the battle, the conflict
would not have been waged here and
these hills and valleys 7o1ElsaJI5l =
- WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN g.
Historic. Both commanders, actuated
by the same high spirit, had resolved
on the night before each to attack the
other on the following morning, and
with proper equipment on the confed-
crate side, the two armies would prob
ably have met at midnight, and mid
way between this point aud Springfield
and there contested for the mastery.
This display of indomitable will by
these great commanders but reflected
the Jealous and. patriotic courage of
their respective armies. It is not for
me, veterans, to recount to you your
deeds, deeds of daring and vaior upon
this historic field. 1t is for YOU and
each OF you, now and rhere to repeat
the story of the conflict that all error or
misunderstanding as to the events Of
that bloody day may be corrected and
the history Of the terrible conflict be
truly written. For this you were in
vited here. The causes of this conflict
are of the past and almost blotted from
the memory. The scenes enacted here
Twenty-Five years ago to-day are re-
membered as furnishing indisputable
evidence of the valor and patriotism of
American freemen. If any have un-
happy recollections remaining, let them
be forgotten. Veterans of Iowa, Of
Texas. Of Kansas, of Louisiana, of
Missouri, Of Arkansas, l welcome YOU
to the soil of this commonwealth as
brothers once estranged, divided, bel
hgerent, now united by the bonds of
All undying affection for our country
l extend you hearty cordial welcome.
Governor CampbelPs address was
listened to with close attention and
elected earnest applause from the hear
ers. .- 81. s
81, GOV. JAMES H. BERRY,
| OF Arkansas was next introduced as
| the eagle orator of the mountains. His
speech was both well timed and elo-
quent and enlisted hearty greeting
from all sides. -, 49,
The next speech was by E
| COL. w. H. MERRITT, a,
Who commanded the First Iowa in
tantry at the Wilson's Creek battle.
Col. Merritt spoke at considerable
length, and recounted number of in
teresting historical facts. He contra
dicted the general reports as to how
Gen. Lyon was killed. He said that he
was within fifty feet of him when he
fell. Lyon had started in front of his
command, waving his white hat and
was calling, "COme on, boys! come
on'' but he had fallen back to the rear
and had dismounted from his horse be-
fora he was struck by the fatal ball.
Gen. Schofield then had Gen. LYONS
body wrapped in blanket and placed
i'll an ambulance and started to Spl ing
field, but detachments in search of ann
balances for the wounded, finding this
one, threw out the body and toSk the
ambulance, not knowing who the dead
man was. Then Schotield sent back a
flag of truce and had the body carried
OH to Springfield. Col. Merritt, before
closing, eloquently affirmed that he had
as kindly feelings for an ex-confeder-
ate soldier as he did for federal. T
agsi q. COL. SAM WOOD .....-g
OF Kansas, was the next speaker in
troduced, who devoted considerable
time to war scenes, "reminiscences, etc.
interspersing his remarks with frequent
witticisms. At the conclusion of Col.
Woods speech the hour for; dinner. W as
called, and all hands engaged in a gen
eral old-fashioned picnic, after which
many wandered in squads over the
grounds, viewing the various pojnts OF