The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-09-18
UNITY, DAKOTA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER l8, 1886.
Array OF THE rENxEssEE.

Army OF THE TENNEssEE,
den. Sherman Speaks Feslingiy upon MS
Recollections and tho Character Of Gen.
Grant.
The eighteenth annual reunion Of the So
ciety Of the Army OF the Tennessee was
held ut Chicago Sept. Q.
Gen. William T. Sherman, president Of
the society, was in the chair. On the stage
with him were Gen. Logan and Governors
Oglesby. Marshall, Sherman and Fletcher.
In the body Of the audience were Generals
Belknap, John B. Sanborn, NJ. NJ. Bone,
Clinton b. Fiske, Hickenlooper, Force
and others. A business meeting
was held during the day, and
magnificent audience assembled At Cen
trail Music hail. when the set orations Of
were opened with prayer by Bishop Fellows,
who was followed by Gov. Richard j.
Oglesby, who delivered a glowing tribute to
the deeds OF the Army OF the Tennessee. He
was followed by Gen. William T. Sherman
who spoke as follows:
Comrades Of the Army OF the Tennessee:
Again we are assembled in the goodly city
OF Chicago, pursuant to the resolution
1884, at Lake Minnetonka. This is our
eighteenth annual reunion. Though TWEEN.
ty eventfnl years have transpired since the
close Of the war, I need not repeat to you
the trite expression that our ranks are
growing thinner, our hair winter, and that
the eyes WHICH look up to me, and which
once kindled and flushed mt the trumpct's
sound, now seem sad, rs though envying
the fate OF those fine young fellows whose
in the glorious days, the memories
Of which we came here to celebrate.
Though war makes the battle field har-
vest, yet in peace, industry invadcs
the most sacred premises, taking here the in.
nocent babe, there the gentle, loving wife.
again the youth in lusty manhood and the
king on his throne. During the last vaca-
tion death has stricken from our list Of
members the very head and front. Gen. U.
OF 1861 and 1862, gathered together at
Cairo, ILL.,, the fragments OF an army and
led them up the Tennessee river, the creator
and father Of the Tennessee. took his final
leave on earth on the morning Of July 23,
1885, from Mount McGrcgor, in plain view
OF the historical battle field OF Saratoga.
He had finished his liie's work and had be-
queathcd to the world his example.
You, however, were Mt the BATTLES front,
to his dying duy he loved the members OF
the Tennessee above all others by reason
OF their loyalty to him in the darkest days
Of his eventful life. Gen. Grant was sent to
command the district OF Memphis. Gen.
Halleck himself being summoned to WASH
ington to
CAST ABOUT FOR NEW COMMANDER
for the army Of the Tennessee. He offered
the post to u most worthy quartermastcr,
who had the good sense to decline, and
himself being compelled to leave, the CON-
Il Il.
not by selection, but by virtue Of his su-
pcrior commission. Thenceforward his
career was ever onward and upward, and
when, on the 4th day Of July, l 1S63, Vicksburg
surrendered to him, and the mighty Mis-
sissippi went unmatched to the sea; the whole
country arose and recognized in him tho
agent who was destined to guard and lead
us to final victory and triumph. These
circumstances were all known to you at
the time, were little appreciated and were
in truth, the fires designed by Providence
to test the ability, courage and endurance
OF him on whom IL whole epoch in history
was destined to hinge. lie always asserted
the most perfect fuith in the justice OF our
cause, and always claimed that sooner or
later it must prevail, because the interest
OF all mankind demand the existence OF
just such IL republic as we had erected,
and that as by the concurrence Of
pOuVACatl CttuScS tuc COLIIlCU Ililu
fallen upon us, we had only to meet it like
brave men and conquer as u matter of
course. lie always claimed that we must
follow up the rebel armies and compel them
to submit to the authority OF the national
government. lie believed in acts, not in
words; in war OF aggression, not OF ma
neuver, nnd from Belmont to Appomattox
his strategy and tactics were the same, ever
straight to the mark, till armed resistance
IL L.
iul authority was promised. To compare
Grant with Alexander, Hannibal, Napoleon,
or Washington seems to me folly, for lle was
not similar to any one OF them any more
than the period Of time in which they ex-
listed resembled ours. Each epoch creates
it's own agents. and Gen. Grant more near
~ impersonated the American character Of
1876 than any otherliving man. There
fore he will stand us the typical hero OF the
century.
You must all recall that ut our meet ing ut
Cleveland in October 1883, reported to
you that Gen. Grant had told lne that l.s
had something special to say to us Of the
Army Of the Tennessee in consequence oi
which you elected him the orator for the
next annual meeting Mt Minnctonka, in Au-
gust, 1884. He intended to come, but ut
the last moment his health and physician
forbade, and we had tOchoose i; substitute.
Again was he chosen for our orator upon
this occasion, and by the record he is still
the orator, but he is now dead and must
speak to US by his substitute, Gen. John b.
Sanborn, who has kindly consented to full.
fiji the office, and l aln well assured that
the special matter he wished to reveal to us
will be fully elaborated, in his Forthcoming
memoirs.
Grant needs no monument to perpctu.
ate the memory Of his virtues. His weak.
nesses lie buried with his bones, but il one
or more monuments are to bc erected to
crafty the living, let them be like him,
strong, simple, durable, and in good taste;
better initiate his exam pie, accept the sit.
uation, and erect one good monument on
the banks OF the Hudson, where hc now lies
buried in peace and at rest eternal.
Gen. John Il. Sanborn of st. Paul then
delivered the annual address, which was
very long and interesting.