The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-01
MEN WHO WORE THE BLUE.
Veterans Of the Thirteenth Indiana In
fantry Meet in Annual Reunion.
The Enviable Record Made by the Regiment
"reminiscences of the Days Spent in the
Field--General Manson Endorsed.

Fleld--General Manson lnd0rSed.
Among the peasurable incidents of the State fair
| season the reunion of the Thirteenth Indiana
Infantry yesterday. About $50 of the survivors
present not of whom fail I'd to enjoy the meeting
of comrades rehearsng incidents of their hard
paigns and calling to mind the regiments noble
record. The Thirteenth accepted a one-year
regiment, but at that time civil began to show
that it not to be holiday excursion and the call
for troops for longer service went forth This regi
ment responded promptly to the threeyears' enlist
| ment and in this city, on the 18th of June, 1861,
with Jere G. Sullivan as colonel was mustered into
service for that period. Leaving indianapolis on the
4th of July 1861, regiment joined Gen. McCleans
forces at the foot of Rich Mountain West Virginia
OF the morning of the 10th. 1t in contact with
the enemy the next day in the battle of Rich Noun
tain. losing eight killed and nine wounded. During
the of the and fall in participated in all
the chief movements in West Virginia. About the first
of March, 1862, it was with Gen
eral Shields near Martinsburg and
Winchester On the 22d of the month it per-
formed gallant service at the first battle of Winches-
ter and aided in repulsing Stonewau Jackson whose
hso orc ror4wsa aar up the ya,ey Inc me
campaign in the valley that brought it to its transfer
to the Army of the Potomac the I'd of July 1862,
evacuation of the peninsula, it remained at Suffolk
nine months, doing excellent service The thirteenth
Morris's island during the seige of Forts Wag-
ner and Gregg. In December large part of the regi
nent rec enlisted and receiving veteran furlough,
reached Indianapolis where Jan. /, 1864, Gov
ernor Morton rendered the veterans formal recep-
ton. After this the regiment was in Florida and
thence went to Virginia, to take part in the closing
scenes of the war. It was assigned to the Second
Brigade, Thru Division, Tenth Army Corps. After
doing fighting about Petersburg and Richmond,
it went to North Carolina taking part in the assault
patton of Wilmington. On the 18th of September,
1865, the regiment reached this city, with twenty
nine officers and $50 enlisted men, and mustered
out VI the regiments colonies, two-Sullivan and
Robert S. Foster-became brgadier-generals.
Yesterday the reunion presided by the
president Lieutenant-colonel Samuel Gent of Colum-
bla City with George Lowry and Frank Ingerso, of
this city, secretary and assistant secretary Re-
| ports of the organizations finances made and
approved after which the consideration and
adoption of constitution and bylaws This was the
dull detail of business to which relief came in the
reading OF letters and kilograms from absent members
OF the regiment Away out in Nebraska at Beatrice,
eight veterans of the Thirteenth remembered their
| former comrades and sent letter of greeting and
good wishes. Several in Kansas wanted to be remem-
bered through their kilograms. During great part
of the war the First New York Mounted
lnfahhy y and the indiana Id had
+. l.. Warath sent greeting, calling up recollec-
tions of how the regiments aided each other and
OF the strong bond of comradeshp that held them to-
gether
In the afternoon speeches were delivered by Chap
lain Cotton, comrades Ketcham. Lawler, Link and
others Each eoquently referred to the terrible days
of the rebellion and the grand patriotism that brought
out such regiments as the Thirteenth. A little Incl
dent occurred about the middle of the afternoon which
Secretary Lowry will long remember. DIR. ID. G.
Skull of Lebanon to the desk of that officer and
said. Il want your attention for moment" Before
Comrade Lowry could realize it he made the
was delivering to him. All this was prefa-
some velvet plush purse containing gold and silver
to a considerable amount The Doctors speech was
good but the secretarys better He tried to some
thing but had to surrender with, We'll its to
try can't say any more than my thanks" Every
old soldier relshed the and gave out abundant
| applause ard other evidence of graf fcation.
6omrade Harrington led off the general speech max
ing again. He suggested that there should be gen.
eral reunion of all Indiana soldiers Of the civil
| each year. After this came the appointment of
committee to draft suitable resolutions regarding the
death of comrades Dodd and Craig since the last
affection to the Thirteenth boys in Nebraska and Kan
| sas.
| Doctor Skull took advantage of ull in the pro-
ceedngs to make stirring speech the spirit that
led enlistment in the service of the Union in 1861
He said there was higher feeling than that of simple
duty in answering his country's call. When he en-
listed he took no thought of what he to receive
for his services. He knew he would be fed clothed,
| and if killed, buried. That satisfied him. He wished
to speak against complaints of the government neg
| lectng the soldiers then and 1t has done all
that was promised and more; yes, more than had
| right to expect. He could never forget the prin.
ciples for which they fought IF his remembrance of
them and speaking of them is waving the bloody shirt
then he expected to it long he lived, and
many other members of the ola Thirteenth, he hoped
would do the thing War at best is
cruel particularly civil war; but when conspirators
tried to spread throughout the North dreadful con-
who valiantly fighting for the Union. then
became savagery. When he learned that the flag of
his country was at half mast over one of the depart
ments at Washington because Of the death of Jake
Thompson of the worst of those conspirators he
cursed the Confederacy.
Comrade Link, of Madison, also spoke of the sen.
hat of apdt TO ho
said much of the sacrifice for the sake of the Union
was due When. it came to the secretary's turn to
read the letter of VIM. H. Armstrong. of New York
city, to his old friends of the Thirteenth at
their reunion lively interest was manifested.
Comrade Armstrong belonged to Colonel Walrath's
New York regiment. He wanted to be with the boys,
but could not come. However that he might have
some share in the proceedings beyond simple greet
ngs he sent two things that heartily relisheda
lot of good wholesome hard tack and rusty canteen
that had service filled with Black Water apple
jack. He got it at Franklin the Black Water, in
canteen of the delicious fluid left There was not
drop left in the he sent five minutes after it
passed around to all who would taste The hard tack,
too, disappeared. of thanks rendered
/ the generous giver
The following resolution unanimously adopted:
Resolved That in case the President should deem
it necessary to make change in the Office of pension
agent for the State of Indiana we, the surviving
bers of the Thirteenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry,
assembled at indianapolis, would most respectfully
urge the appointment of Comrade NJ. D. Manson for
| that position.
Captain W1ll DAVID, presldent-of the Eleventh In
| diana regiment-made some very interesting remarks
| he also gave recitation of ''Banty Tim Captain
David seems at home among the boys in blue" DR.
Mcdonnell, of Angola also made some interesting re
| marks, which were we'll received.
Officers for the ensuing year were elected follows
| Capt i. NJ Kirkpatrick, of Kokomo presidents Dr.
| David Skull of Lebanon, vice president; Comrade
| George Lowry, secretary; Capt. w. E. Ketcham
treasurer; Comrades zent, Link and General Foster,
executive committeeman, who act with the president
and vice-president. After appointing the Wednesday
of State Fair week next in this CITY, for the next
reunion, and several short speeches. the reunion ad
| journed.
A Doctors Alleged Failure.