The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-24
THE. REUNION AT KOKOMO.
An Ex-Confederate Returns the Cap
tured Flag of the 57th Indiana.
Over Twenty Years ago-A Hearty
Welcome to the Texans


better snow of patriotic bunting than that dis
played here yesterday and to-day. and never has
she exceeded the hearty welcome she has given
TO the surviving veterans of the Thirty ninth
Eighth Cavalry and Fifty -seventh regiments
of Indiana volunteers, who to-day close their
seventeenth annual reunion. The most inter
esting feature of this meeting of old soldiers was
the return of the flag of the Fiftyseventh In
diana, captured at the battle of Franklin, Tenn.
TO the hands of Col. Willis Blanche, of
that regiment and the surviving veterans By its
captor, who was accompanied by delegation OF
Texans. The presentation of the flag took place
at the fair grounds, in the presence of large
audience, the exercises opening with prayer by
Rev. Mcclure, of Kokomo 1t was an occasion
that will be long remembered by those who par
ticipated in it. The flag was first formally pre-
scented by the g. A. r., of the department of
Texas to the G. A r., department. of Indiana,
and by the latter given into the hands of Colonel
Blanche.
The delegation accompanying the flag from
Texas consisted of its captor, Corporal Wiley NJ.
Crook, formerly of Company /, Thirteenth Ten
nessee Regiment, C. S. A, now living at Bruce,
Texas Col. w. ID. Wiley, formerly of the Second
Iowa Infantry, now commander of the G. A. r.
Department of Texas now residing at Dallas,
Texas; G. u Sc rviss. also an ex-Union soldier,
now living at Sherman, Texas; Capt W. G..
Veale, of Dallas, formerly Of the Twelfth Texas
Cavalry, c. S. A., and Mayor E. N. Heath. of
Cleburne, Texas, formerly Of the Twentieth
Texas Cavalry c. s. A.
Colonel Wiley made the speech, presenting the
dag to the G. A. r., Department of Indiana. jim
an admirable speech narrating the circumstances
of its capture and passing from the bloody epoch
0f the war to the era of fraternal feeling, which
Is now happily coming Oman era of tolerance,
good feeling and brotherly affection that be-
tokens glorious period of peace and prosperity
for this great Nation.
This was responded to by Department Com
Snander David N. Foster. of Indiana, who said
be could not expect to fifty voice the emotions
he felt at receiving this old flag, torn by shot
and she'll, and tattered by service. Who can tell
what it typifed to the gallant men Of the Fifty
SEVENTH Under its folds they fought on many
bloody field. They rallied round it in disaster,
and followed it to deeds of glory. They had
never thought to see it again. Enemies had
wrested it away and carried it they knew not
where. But they are enemies no longer. The
stars and bars float nowhere in the land. and
If, perchance, they bring out, sometimes, and
gaze upon those tattered emblems of the confed-
Dracy, it is that they may recall sad memories of
che past, and not that they sorrow over the lost
cause. This dear old flag is their flag They,
as we, hail it as the emblem Of an indissouble
Union, reunited Nation. It is from their hands
stcomes back to you, survivors of the Fifty sew
snth. Take it. comrades, rejoicing that war is
over. and white-winged peace hovers over all the
lane.
AS Commander Foster closed his speech there
were loud cries of Lets the hag unfurl it'll"
The banner was then upheld by Corporal Crook,
great enthusiasm and long-continued cheering.
The face of Colonel Enthusiastically old soldier
as he is-was suffused with emotion, and there
were moistened eyes all around him.
Rev. T. d. Thorp, a member of the Fifty
seventh. now pastor of the Simpson M. E.
Church at Fort Wayne received the colors on
behalf Of the regiment in glowing spirit. fervent
with gratitude for the better days that have
fallen upon the Republic-the era Of peace and
national brotherhood.
At the conclusion Of his speech there was
general handshaking, the Union veterans crowd
ing to the front to grasp the hands of the visiting
Texans. Corporal Crook was called upon for
speech, but not being a talking man he was, in
him. Major E. M. Heath then made speech in
which he spoke briefly of the past and dwelt
largely upon the glorious possibilities of the
future of the reunited Nation.
The members OF the Fifty-seventh Indiana,
had. it seems, hastily prepared surprise for
Corporal Crook in the shape of gold medal-a
twenty dollar gold piece-which bore upon one
side the inscription, ''Fifty-seventh Indiana Vol
rnteers to ". NJ Crook. Thirteenth Tennessee
Regiment G. S. A., Kokomo, Ind, Sept %,
1886" This was presented by Hon. Stanton j.
Peelie, of the Fifty-seventh, in short but stir
ring speech. in which he recounted the loss of
the flag in the battle of Franklin, Nov. 80. 1864
lie admired the courage and valor of the
Corporal, but that he had kept the flag for over
twenty years showed that he had love for the
emblem of our National Union and that should
give him yet higher place in the estimation of
every member OF the regiment In coming
thousand miles to deliver it to the hands of those
who followed it he showed his fidelity and his
full acceptance of the results of the war.
Corporal Crook, in giving his account of the
capture of the flag, said il was at the battle of
Franklin. late in the evening. when his regiment
came upon the thin line OF skirmishers of the
Ffty-seventh. He saw the color bearer fall and
rushing forward grasped the colors 1t was a
hand to hand fight. a mixed melee, and he came
Out OF 1t with the colors The next morning he
gave the flag to General Cheatkam, through
Major w. j. Crook. of the Thirteenth Tennessee
Just before the surrender at Greensboro, N. c..
the corporal received a letter from Major Crook
WHICH Ho pFeSeuteQ 10 Tue 0eHeral ana upon
which he got the flag. On the 9th of August at
Confederate reunion. he gave the flag into the
hands OF the commander Of the u. A R., de-
partment of Texas with the under standing that
it was to be returned to the Fifty seventh In
diana
Certainly no one could have asked warmer
welcome heartier goodwill than the Texan
visitors were accorded at Kokomo. not merely
by the boys in blue. but by all the citizens.
Crook is a typical Southerner. six feet high and
with no superHuous flesh. He was twenty years
old at the date of the capture of the flag, and
Is now forty-one Major Heath is an Indianian,
born in Fountain county. near Coyington. but
removed to Texas when quite young He is now
about fifty-ive years old.
A pleasant episode in connection with the re-
union was the presentation of gold headed cane
by the veterans to Colonel Blanche.
After dinner, furnished by the hospitable
ladies al Kokomo. the veterans again assembled