The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-09-15
REUNION,
A Grand Success and Lots Of Good Enjoy.
ment Among the old Veterans ofthc Rebel.

ment Among the old Veterans of the Rebel
lion. - .
Oae OF the most successful reunions OF oil
soldiers, held In this part ui tue state fo
yeats, aud The lst general Que in Otta@,
Since the reDcllion clns.d ~, thursday. Ere
paiatlonr had been going on uhdcr the aus
pices ui Earl Poet, "a. 4. Il ui Ills city, ful
several weeks, anG every ,ilJil hud beer
made to make II ssrcess How well those
efforts succeeded all kn0w--tn,y were CON
pItle; dnd clll2chs, gucals, soldiers ana al
pronounce unhrsitaiingly t'at nothing was
left undOne that limited fund aud hard
work could accomplish Tents had been
secured Tor 900 men. tHiore ihan expected
and the mineral spring Lruunds were made
the camping ground Of the men. Officers
headquarters were established in Hoes
grove, where the speaking Was subsequently,
had. General John Mortil was prevailed
upon Ia take commend Of the camp, which
was named IN honor Of (,cuvrdi James T..
Cameron, and the following. members Of the
stat we're appointed 10y him: Capt Thos. c.
Fuuerton, A. \. Gen; Gait David 4. Cook,
Chicl q Master; Capt. \ l.. stone, Chief
CommIssary; Capt t. T. Ba'r, Arst. Insp.
Gen; NJ or john II. Wdn,er Judge Advo
cutc Capt. Robert NJ. Woods, Chiei o! Ar
,illery; Corp, l. W Brewer, PIovost Mar.
Gen; Surgeon K F. Deer Medical Director;
Corp. David krou,e, Chit OF Ordnance;
Col. ID. F. HIT, Chici of Engineers; Capt l..
n. klslug, Abide camp. The General h!m
self aud each ncnher Of HE ,luil seemed to
vie with each oth,r Ia render the occasion
pleasant to all, aud vet observing Ms near as
possible military discipline. or course there
was no power 10 restrain the men, and they
w uld get beyond What, uuder real circum-
Stances. would have been their proper
bounds; bat that was all right" They
came to OttaNas 10 enjoy themselves, were
Il. ,.tt
had the right TO sac. enjoyment, and so long
as their couduc, brought no harm to any
one, neither martial nor civic law was abso
lule|y enforced. Under these circumstances
il j. not To be wondered at that so many
"bots' Of older years were on the streets
both day and night during the three days
just closed.
Ia addition to these there were many other
old soldiers present OF various regiments and
STATES. reuresentiug every branch OF the SER
vlce-thc navy, the cavalry, The artillery and
the infantry In the way Of arms and nipple.
ments Of warfare, five hundred stand OF arms
were obtained from the state, and liberal
supply Of cartridges made up the infantry,
and two guns Of the Joliet battery, in charge
of Major woods, the Tonica 10 pound Rod.
man, the Kelly gun of Ottawa aud a mortar
constituted the batteries.
In accordance with the wishes Of the com
mttce, the city was profusely decorated with
bunting, banners and streamers, there being
scarcely business block that did not show
the national colors. The only building of
prominence that failed to decorate was the
Supreme Court house, which did not even
possess a flag. The Board of Supervisors in
recngnihon Of the day directed the purchase
Of two fine flags for the county court house.
Among the prominent persons present dur
ing the reunion were Senators Oglesby and
Logan, Governor Hamilton and wife, Secre
tary of State Dement,, State Auditor Swigart,
Attorney General Mccartney. State Trea sur.
er Smith Warden NcCiaughrey and Mayor
Mum, of Joliet, l.. B. Crooker, Judge Wal.
lace, of Chicago, dc.
There was also present Corporal John W
January. of Minonk, who has u national rep
utatou as being the only man who, without
q knowledge of surgery, had the fortitude
and the courage to amputate his own limbs
when the occasion demanded it. This was
done in the rebel prison in Florence. s. c., !
when from neglect, cold, aud other causes
gangrcuG had destroyed both feet, and actual
death vas staring him IN the face and no one
wOnld perform the operation for him. 1t was
then that, with pocket knife, he performed
the operation and lived He is now hale and
hearty aud uses artificial limbs with skiIl ,
Another individual was d. l. Rood, an old
Mexican veteran, and in the troubled times I
Of 1S40 was one of Kit Carson's famous rang.
ers. But to give sketch nt each person !
present who personally distinguished him |
self in the country's service would require ,
more time ana space than it is possible for
newspaper 10 give, and therefore we sAall
not attempt il.
FIRST DAY.
Tuesday like the tno following days, WAS
beautiful and promised all that could be /
wished for. Early in the morning Earl Post
was out in detatchmeutS, with Fitzgerald's |
band and the drum corps Of Co. D. going to
the trains and cscortng the visiting posts to
headquarters. MarSelles and Seneca COM
panies arrived from The east about 10 o'clock
and Streator and Grand Ridge from the south
about the same time. On the trains arriving
later in the day strong companies from The
west fell into line.
At | 30 a procession was formed in the fol-
lowing order 10 receive and escort Governor
Hamilton to Camp Cameron:
Ftzgerald's Band,
Co. d, l. n G.,
Reception committees in carriages,
Barteson Post, No. 6,
Streator Post No s.
j. A. Garfield Post, No. 50,
Tonica Band,
Randolph Post No. 90,
G. \. Address Post No. l35,
Drum Corps,
Seth c. Earl Post, No. 1876,
Hennepn Post, No. Isl,
Wenona Post, 232,
Carter Post, No 242,
Ransom Post, No. PAT,
Marseiles Band,
Marseiles Post, No. 2Sl,
Sedgwick Post, No. 305,
Rutland Post.
The distinguished gentleman did not arrive
as early as he was expected, not reaching the
city until after o'clock. However, TIE line
OF march was taken up and in due time the
grove was reached, the Governors Salute"
being Hired from the gun stationed at head.
quarters as the procession was crossing the
bridge and entering the grounds. II is es-
timated that from 8, 900 to 5000 persons were
on the grounds at the time the stand cXer-
cises took place.
Hon. Washington Bushnell introduced
Mayor Allen to the assembly, who in few
we'll chosen remarks welcomed to the city
the old heroes and the distinguished visitors.
Governor Hamilton was then introdaced
and made an address, rather lengthy, but u
eloquent and pithy, and which was especially
intended for the boys who twenty years ago
were fighting the real battles OF the rebellion.
lie also paid the customary tribute-whch
all true sons of America are expected to pay
10 the glory Of the nld flap and tha pprnef |