River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-08-21
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.
Annual Meeting at Lake Minnetonka-ora.
ton by Ex-Gov. C. K. Davis-GeneraI
Proceedings.

0NA- oI4AAAe@ps elAh Wv AtbhA VI HAStc4A-
sin, and Gen. ChetIain Of Chicago, and host
Of others more or less known to the public
The hotel was handsomely decorated On the
walls of the rooms we're portraits of Gems.
Sherman, Grant Thomas and Logon, and also
the national shield enclosed in evergreens bear
ing the inscriptions; ''Corinth, ''Nash-
VILE" Savannah, Jackson" ''Donelson, 7"
Belmont, s'Shiloh, "Chickasaw," s'Port Glib
son" raymond" champion Hill, "Big
Black River" ''yicksburg," 'sKenesaw," cat
lanta, Missionary Ridge, and ''Iuka."
At the business meeting held on the first
day Gen. Sherman presided, and Col l.
M Dayton acted as recording secretary
man delivered the opening address and
read a letter from Gen. Z. s. Grant
stating that he was unable to be present on se-
count of his recent injury, and conveying his
best wishes. Gen. Sherman then stated that Tx
Gov. G. K. Davis, on short notice, had consent
ed 70 deliver the address. The report Of the
treasurer was read, showing the financial trans.
actions Of the society for the past year, and
Its present financial condition was reported
good Gen. Sherman explained that monu'
ment was being erected for Frank 2.
Blair, and one had been erected fOt
Gen. Ransom by his friends After the
transaction Of some routine business, the guests
had an excursion on one Of the fine steamer
on the lake.
In the evening, after the assembly, BY the
drum corps, Gen. sherman introduced Gov.
Hubbard of Minnesota TO the audience, who
delivered the address of welcome IN which he
stated that Minnesota felt an especial pride III
ITS record, she regards it part of her own
She had much larger representation OF her
stalwaFt patriotism in this array than IN any
other similar organization. Gen sherman
responded, and in announcing the piece,
Marching through Georgia" General Sher.
man said it was a piece which had followed
him around the world and he hoped the audi.
enC6 would enjoy II better tnan he did. After
its rendition he introduced ex Gov. c. K. Davis
to the audience, and explained that Gen Grant
had been expected to deliver the Grafton, but
he was not able to attend. Gov. Davis delly
cred an elaborate and able address, closing as
follows
have endeavored to show the mission of
war in general and this war in particular; that
Its end Is not more conquest, nor personal
glory; that It's consequences ere mover endlngj
that in the great average of human concerns
benefcent; that it eXtiTpates error; that 1t es-
tablishes what is goOd that it makes nations.
j have said little of your battles, nothing of
your personal glory. The battles are known
TO the world; your glory is secure. 1t was a
sublime conception of the German poet Zedlltz.
that before the statute of the great Napoleon
IN the Place Vendome the hosts of the empire
muster for review. While Paris sleeps, the
disembOdied cohorts Of the dead conqueror
break the marble calm of death and are mar
shaled upon the fields of air. The armies of
twenty years stand embattled on that aerial
plain. They come from the slime of the Nile,
from the sands of Arabia, from the SHOWS of
Russia, from Alpine ice, from German plains,
from the fields of Italy, from Spanish siorras,
from the waves of Trafalgar. The imperial mar
shals are there; Murat with his squadrons;
DavOust, with the VictOrs Of Auerstadt; Mas
sena. with the famine stricken defenders of
Genoa; Macdonald, sword in hand, and on
foot at the head of the 5000 lmmOrtals who
broke the Austrian center at Wagram; slaught-
cred Ney with the apparltlOn OF the deSpaIrlng
guard which broke IN vain in bloody surge5
upon the English squares at Waterloo Tho
specters Of auxiliary kings, their brows gold
bound with phantom crowns bestowed by him,
career before their shadowy legiOns, and far
of upon the confines Of the night the phantas-
ma OF vanquished armies in full retreats dim
ly seen upon a hundred fields. Martial music
is family heard beneath the stars, and upon the
spirit banners of the pallid and evanescent
host, as ii sweeps in dark review before tho
bronze emperor who has also taken ghostly
life CLEAN the words, cave Imperatori Morn
turf to salutant" and then the armies of lost
cause melt into the air, and the emperor be-
comes bronze again.
this army detile before the genius Of History,
They rise, arms in hand, from the ancient
river beds, from the bivouac of the grave,
from Nicksburg and Kenesaw, from every
historic battlefield, from deadly forests and
nOisome prison pens. The living and the dead
are there, the white man and his dusky com
rade. The great generals are in their places.
The peans Of victorious music are heard again.
The starry flag CLEANS among the constella-
tons. This pageant fades from the Elyslan
fields, and History, taking up her pen, writes
of that army the impeTishabe words, Its
cause was not lost, for it was the cause of
Liberty, my best beloved child. 1t fought tho
great battle of humanity and conquered, ana
is consecrated TO the reverence of mankind.
The applause which followed the
Grafton was long and loud Miss Alice
tie Hymn of the Republic" aud re-
ceived round after round of applause for the
rendition Following the song by Miss Mitchell
was impromptu speeches by Bishop Fellows,
of Chicago, and others, interspersed with mu-
sic.
On the second day was chiefly given to pleas
ure The breif business session IN the morn
ing simply disposed of the routine business,
the most important features OF which was the
selection of Chicago as the next place of meet
ing, a result fully anticipated and the election
of officers as follows:
President-Gen W. T. Sherman.
Recording secretary-Col L. NJ Dayton
Corresponding secretary-Gen- A. Hicken-
Treasurer-Gen NJ F. Force
Vice pre.,idents-Col John s. Lavender,
Missouri; Gen w. L. Clark, Dakota; Lieut.,
Col Rood Iowa Capt. w. McCrary, Mlnneso-
ia; Gen. Schuyler, Hamilton, New York; Capt
G. Riebsame Illinois; Lieut. ). Shllwell, Kan
sas; Capt George H. Heaford, Wisconsin;
Mai Edgar L. Miller, Pennsylvania; Capt
Josiah Barber, Ohio; Capt Logan H. Roots,
After the business had been disposed OF
nearly one hundred accepted Col McCrorys
invitation and went to Minneapolis via the
motor line, viewed in that city the chief points
of interest and returned in the afternoon
Another excursion on the lake, with the sue
cessful regatta as a prime object of interest
occupied the remainder of the day
In the evening there was a grand banquet
t,E ~ hall These
spread simply with the cut glass and silver.
Tropical plants and blooming flowers were
center pieces in each table, and the snowy linen
was strewn with smilax and cut flowers. AT
the table at the head of the room, on an elevated
platform was seated the master of ceremonies,
Gen W T. sherman; on his right, Gov L. I.
Hubbard on his left ex-senator ramsey;
Mayor c. d. O'Brien, Col Taylor, Senator ID
M. Sabin. Lieut. Col Plunkett Gen. J. H. Ham
mond Mai John c. Smith occupied seats at the
table which was faced with bank OF cut
flowers.
The feast was ended athalf pastten, at which
hour the hall was ordered cleared of the ser
wants and the speaking was commenced Gen
Sherman introducing each speaker in q pleas
ant and characteristic way. The Following
were the toasts and the names OF speakers:
First Toast-''The President OF the United
States Response by Colonel C. 7. Dyer. In
the absence OF Gen, Gresham, p NJ General,
Thirmew said the committee was obliged TO take
the most good-natured man they could find.
Gen Over from Pike, Mo, andof course all old
soldiers knew OF that locality.
Second Toast-.'The State of Minnesota.
Response by Governor Z. l. Hubbard
The third toast was the state of Wisconsin,
10 which Gov j. NJ. Rusk was to have respond
ed hut was not present In lieu thereof Gen.
Sherman expressed his regret at his absence,
and bore testimony TO the gallantry OF the
soldiers of Wisconsin, many OF whom were
members or the Army of the Tennessee
Fourth Toast-"0ur Country. Response by
General A. L. Chetlain, of Chicago.
Fifth Toast-''rhe men of '16-thelr spirit
inspired the men of 'dl." Response by Gener-
al Schuyler Hamilton.
Sixth Toast-"The Victories of Peace-no
less renowned than those Of war" Response
BY Mgr. CapeL
Seventh Toast-''The Army OF the TENNESSEE"
Response =, General W. w Beltnap.
Eight Toast-''The Unreturning Dead
Green be their memories They did not die in
vain Response by Capt Henry A Castle, of
st Paul
Ninth Toast-''The Golden Northwest" Re
Spouse by RI. Rev Bishop Ireland, of Minneso-
Ia
Eleventh Toast-''The Thinking Bayonet-A
Product Of Universal Education Response
bv Hon Ignatius Donnelly.
Twelfth Toast-''The Loyal Governors of
1851 Response nv Hon. Alexander Ramsey.
Thirteenth Toast-''The Loyal Volunteers
Response by Gen. John ". Noble
Fourteenth Toast-''The Rank and File. Re
Spouse by Col August jacobson.
Fifteenth Toast-''Ths Ladies. Response by
Prof O. V. Tousley
The speeches. without exception, were peril