The Hartford herald., 1885-11-04
ADDRESS
Delivered by Capt. w. T. Ellis, at
the Soldiers Reunion at OWENS
boro, Kentucky.

Delivered by Capt. w. t. Ellis, at
the Soldiers' Reunion at OWENS
boro, Kentucky.
llnquirer.l
SOLDIERS You who were once the
champions of contending armies, but
who to>day meet as the friendly sur
vivors of IA bloody conflict, in which
both sides exhibited manly courage
and heroism that has made the glory
of American arms immortal and which
must forever form the most sublime
chapters in American annals--I extend
to you all a royal welcome. In the
name of all our people | tender to you
their most hearty salutations all that
is implied In that proverbisl term, Ken
lucky hospitality, we offer you. Our
whole population halls with genuine
delight the occasion which brings you
to our homes; they welcome you be-
cause in your hands you bring garlands
of praise, and in your hearts you bring
generous good will. Soldiers of the
blue and gray, stay with us, and forget
the troubled drea ms that broke your
slumbers
"when reposing at night on your pallet of
straw
BY the wolf-scaring faggot that guarded
the slain,"
for peace, golden peace, has indeed
dawned upon us.
If it was the selfish boast of Spartan
women, that they had never seen the
smoke from an enemy's camp, let it be
the boast of Americans that the valor
of American soldiers, in time of war, is
only surpassed by their patriotism in
times of peace, and such will be the
grand chorus in the future, if this day
is not to be forgotten.
For tell me. student of history, where
you can find the parallel of an exam
PIE like this which We here present
you? When before, in the history of
the nation, have the survivors of hos
tile armies, forgetting the past and
without the sacrifice of honor, met to-
gether only to exchange friendly greet
ings, to strike hands and swear eternal
fealty at the altar of their common
country? When before, since crea-
tion's dawn, have those who measured
swords on the "bloody edge of battle"
Paid their willing tributes to opposing
survivors, and jointly wreathed their
crowns of peace to be scattered indis-
upon the graves of their
dead heroes, never asking or caring
under which flag they fought or per-
ished?
Fellow soldiers, you are to be doubly
upon the coming of this
day, for it dispels the last riiting cloud
of war, and marks another epoch in
our country's history.
1t is the passing i'm triumphaI pro.
cession of another mile stone along the
Appian way of peace. 1t is another
bloodless victory for the American
soldier which will send its "ceaseless
flashes" down the "ringing grooves" of
time, to inspire posteritv with increased |
veneration for the soldiers of lS6I-5. 1t |
is not only to be the beginning of a |
new era all unspotted with human
blood, and which will serve to perpetu-
ate the glory of American soldiers, but
this reunion of blue and gray will give
to some young American artist an in
spiration that will guide his genus,
while he sets on canvass a masterpiece
that will surpass in grace and beauty |
the finest masterpieces that adorn the
art galleries in the ancient cities of
Venice and Milan. Comrades i'm arms,
We begin indeed, this day, to reap the
harvest of absolute reconciliation, a
harvest which We would not exchange
for all the golden apples that ever
the tabled gardens of Hesper-
ides; more than this, the sentiment
suggested by this joint reunion, will
material for an appendix to
those splendid chapters which you
have already bequeathed to your
cOuntry's history-an appendix that
will be read like fiction. when we who
have assembled here shall have gone to
Join our dead comrades, whose silent
bivouacs mark every mile of way from
Shiloh to Appomattox.
We never imagined, while we fol-
lowed the varying fortunes of our
chosen causes, that We would live to
participate in festivities such as this
day brings.
True, We had many an enchanted
iream as we slept upon tentless fields
when the battle was done. Many a
golden vision of plenty and peace, and
home and friends, passed like pano-
rama before us, as We kept guard ON
the perilous ut-posts through the silent
of the night but no such
pictures Of good will and reconciliation
As this ever gladdened the heart of the
veteran soldier, in blue or gray, while