Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-09-03
SHELBY'S BRIGADE.
Gala Time at Higginsvil1e at the
Ex-Confederate Reunion.
The G. A. r. Take Part and the Best of
Feeling Prevaiis-Eloquent and Pa.
triotic Speeches by Senator
CockrelI and Others.

brigade. Higginsville was crowded to over
flowing. there being large numbers of people
here. Much disappointment was oecasioned
however, by the absence of General Shelby
and why he remained away is mystery, a.
hundreds OF letters We're written him and a
purse OF 5000 made up to pay his expenses.
His absence was widely commented on, ana
on no side could any excuse for him be
heard. When the last train arrived and the
soldiers who were among its passengers had
been provided with badges, the line
of march was formed as follows:
Buffers Band, eX-Confederates, Rich
mond Band, Shelby's Brigade, Slater
Band, ex-Confederates, Lexington drum
corps, Schaeffer Post, q. A. r, of Concordia;
lexington ii';''' t eXuC6nfederstes, Mayyiew
Band, Confederates, Norborne Band
Russell street is two miles long 1t was on
this street that the line was formed, and it
long the street. Upon either side
the pavements were thronged to witness the
parade. Upon reaching the fair grounds
the exercises there were opened with music
by the Richmond Band, after which Major
E. A. Hickman read the following:
"AsHLAND, KY August II, 1885
"NajOr E. #. Hickman, Independence, 40:
Yours of the 10th inst. just received, ask
ing for the battletIag of the Sixth Missouri
Regiment, c. 5. A., to be used at the Confed-
crate reunion in Lafayette County on the
10th of the present month. 1t gives me
can well imagine the great desire the sur
Vivors feel to see again the flag they fought
showing to their children a relic made sa-
cred by its baptism in the fire and smoke of
battle. feel happy in being instrumental
in its preservation. Being requested by
Colonel Irwin to embroider the name of
William Hun, ensign, upon it, obtained it
1t was with me during the siege of Vicks-
burg, at which time I was favored with a
guard furnished through the politeness of
General Ferreil, of Burnside's corps.
"Respectfully,
!JosEPHINE CLAY"
Mr.. Ed Payne, of the independence Senti-
nei then unfurled the nag, which was re-
ceived amid the widest enthusiasm and
cheers for the Union. 1t bore the following
Inscription:
Irwin, Colonel commanding this regiment,
was the first to charge upon the intrench-
mentS at Corlnth, Miss, and twenty SIX of
its thirty commissioned officers and twenty
two of its twenty eight non commissioned
officers were killed or wounded. VIM. HUFF.
the ensign, received nine wounds in defense
of this flag before reSigning il to the keeping
of comrade: OF the 800 men who went into
the battle only thirty answered roll call at
terward.
This was followed by music, after which
MIR. A. j. Hall delivered stirring speech,
making most tender and pathetic illusions
to the soldiers of either side who were num-
bered with the slain, and congratulating the
survivors upon the friendship which had
been cemented between the two sides, each
of which was SO largely represented.
Colonel Jacob L. Child, of the Richmond
CoHserrator, followed with a poem entitled
''Shelby," of which the following is one
verses
And ever around him in danger and gloom
There gathered the bravest, though facing
theirs doom;
Bohanan, Gates, Edwards, Clark, Crispin and
all
The proud names of the land to stand there
To go where he led them, to ride at his call.
terly GRAFTON, which held the closest atten-
ton OF his vast audience. He prefaced his
remarks by calling attention to the q. \. r.
reunion to be held at st, Joseph, September
9th, 18th and 26th.
Senator CockrelI was next introduced. He
said in substance: L am glad to meet with
you, my old friends, and shake you by the
hand. Twenty years have rolled by since
the last hostile gun was fired in the greatest
civil war the world has ever seen Thank
God, we have at last come to a period born
ness to- be emo tolerant IN nn aar %
Is Is to be wise wise and and prudent we
without malice. The soldiers, Union and
Confederate, sit side by side and talk of that
war, a war on the part of the men of the
war on the part of the South for the estab-
lishment and perpetuity Of a seperate gov
eminent, yet one which had almost identi-
caIIy the same constitution. 1t wasi war
between 100000 of white population in the
south and 100000 white tie populat ion in the
of Kentucky, Maryland and Missouri and
the figures would read 5,5Oo,OOo and 2l,oOco0o
Human wisdom never devised any mode
for the amicable adjustment of the affairs
which precipitated the war To day
tional man, no sane man, North or south,
can with his hand upon his heart, and in the
presence of his God say that the men OF the
Union who followed the star spang.ed banner
were not ihoncst. No man can say that the
men who espoused the south and 70 lowed
the stars and bars amid suffo ring, dangers
and priva ions which the human language
can never adequately portray. were not
the union IF the otates there can be no Sc
cessicn Inc coloIeI people arc free, and
none OF You would restore them to slavery.
ii YOU could do so, without shedding drop
of blood the expenditure OF penny.
When every issue involved in the war was
wings, then it was that the soundest States
manship and the .purest Christianity de-
Thank God, have lived to see the Con-
federate soldiers of Shelby,s brigade Ineetfn
reunion, extending to the Union men whom
they have met upon many an ensanguined
field an invitation which has been accepted,
and both commingling and celebrating to-
gether. Did any of you think in the widest
flight of your imagination in 1859 you
would witness such scene as this
the grandest country the world has ever
seen. We are all Interested in the indisso-
Iubity of the Union and the indestructi-
bility of the states composing it When the
trump of the archangel shall sound the
reveiile of the resurrection morn all will
come before the throne and be judged for
the deeds done in the body. some man says
fed. Another says look down south and
see how the North is reviled. Even birds
dove, the knocking bird. They are delighted
with the green pastures, the grazing fOcks
and lowing herds If they had the gift of
speech they would sing of the beautiful OBJ
iects seen above the landscape.
But take the buZzard 1t sees no beauty
and takes no delight in the grand objects
presented to his view. But should there be
in the broad expanse a dead mule or
It. We can't Kill the buzzards We
gers. You can not keep men
refused to taste it when it was
offered to them. These doughty men remind
me of the dogs-and beg the pardon of the
lion panther invades the farm precincts
the faithful watch dog ruSheS to the rescue
OF the flocks, and when the intruder is driven
away returns to the house to peaceful slum-
Der. But just about the time all the danger
is over We see emerging from under the
barns the cowardiy ours snariiny and bark
ing as though anxious to eat up half dozen
lions or panthers. When the war ragged these
doughty warriors could not have been seen.
They were invisible in war and invincible in
peace. IL of those braggarts were to
hear the whistling of "a bullet or the bursting
of q shell he would hug mother Earth with a
sweetheart embrace or take to his heels.
These exceptions only prove the rule of the
existing fraternity to day
man. Hayes trusted Key. Longstreet and
the guerilla, Mosby, were lifted to high
DlaceS by Union men, and challenge any
one to point out a Gonfederate who has be-
er around the bier of General Grant than the
two Confederates among the pail bearers.
Great God we thank thee for this home, the
beauteous birthland OF the free, where wan
derers from afaranay come anu preatno the
III E1 =. Crittenden spoke next, his
remarks being in the nature of an appeal for
contributions 70 tine I or oi'h Aan'
Mt