Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-09-10
18TH REUNION
Dessee.-Re>olutions Passed ON the
Death of Gen. Grant.

The 18th annual reunion OF the Society of
the Armv of the Tennessee btgtn here today
A business meeting was held this morning at
which about 200 officers and members of the
society were present. Gen. VIM. T. Sher-
man. president of the association, was in the
chair.
On the stage with him were Gen. Logan
and Cows. Marshal, Oglesby, Sherman and
Fletcher. 10 the body of the audience were
Genls Belknap. John B. Sanborn, NJ NJ
Bone, Clinton B. Fiske, and others. The
secretary reported that four members had
died during the year, viz: Gen. U. S.
Grant, Col. d. n. Welsh. Capt. John E.
Jones and Major Josiah Barber.
A committee was appointed to draft appro-
pirate resolutions in view of the death of
Gen. Grant, and his widow was elected q
substitute member of the society
After the appointment of committees to
select officers and a place of meeting for next
year adjournment was taken until 10 to-
morrow. Tonight addresses will be delivered
by Gen. Sanborn, Gcv. Oglesby and Gen.
Sherman, the latter touching upon the career
of Gen. Grant.
A magnificent audience assembled in Gen.
trail Music Hall tonight. The exercises were
opened with PRAYER by Bishop Fallows, who
was followed by Gov. Oglesby in brief but
glowing tribute to the deeds of the Army of
Tennessee. He was followed by Gen. VIM
I. Sherman who, among other things, said
During our last vacation death has stricken
from our list OF members the very head and
front-Gen. U. S. Grant, the same who in
the cold winter of 1862, gathered togetht r
at Cairo, Ill the fragments of the Army and
led them up the Tennessee river He was
the creator and father of the Army OF
l..
concede to the family their superior rights,
but claim the next place in the long process
sion of mourners. We were with him in his
days of adversely as well as prosperity and
were as true TO him as the needle to the pole.
We shared with him trials and tribulations
as well as labors and battles of Henry Dom
elson, Shiloh, Corinth and Vicksburg, when
that transcendent and most valuable of all
victories turned the universal gaze of our
bewildered countrymen to the new star in
the west which plainly foretold the man which
had dispelled the cloud which lowered oer
our home and was to the triumphant victories
of 1865 and the stable, enduring prosperity
OF 1885. Hundreds, yea thousands of busy
brains and pens are now trying to compre-
hend and describe this man who did so much
in SO short time, to trace the mysterious
causes of his most wonderful career and to
account for the known results. They look to
us who were his daily associates in that criti-
cal epoch to aid them in their commendable
work and as your president l must on this
| occasion contribute a share.
In the year 1889 was first class man in
the U. S. Military Academy at West Point,
position of exalton never reached since,
though reasonably successful in life, and
there appeared on the walls of the hall in the
old north barrack, list of the new cadets,
among which was U. S. Grant. The crowd
of lockers on read United States Grant, Un-
Gle Sam Grant, Sam Grant, and Sam Grant
he is today in the traditions of the old 4th U
s. infantry. 1t afterward trsnspired that his
name was actually Ulysses Hiram Grant. and
the mistake had been made by Gen. Hamer,
member of Cor gress, who nominated him as
a cadet from his district. Cadet Grant tried
to correct this mistake at the beginning
and end of his cadet lite without success and
to history his name must ever be U. s
Grant. | remember his personal appearance
at the time, but the gulf of separation be-
tween a first class man and a pleb at West
Point was, and is still, deeper and wider than
that between the general in chief and a pri-
vate in the army, so that / hardly noticed
him. His reputation in the 4th Infantry, in
which he served through the Mexican war,
and until he resigned his commission of cap
tain, IN Oregon, July 81, 1854, was that of a
good, willing officer, always ready for duty,
extremely social and friendly with his fell
| lows, but in no sense conspicuous, bril-
liant or manifesting the wond, rful qualities
afterwards developed in him. did not meet
him again till the civil war had broken out,
when chaos seemed let loose and the gates of
hell wide open in every direction.
Then came the news of Gen. Grants attack
on the enemv's camp at Belmont, on the 7th
of Nov, 1861, soon followed by the events of
Columbus, Psducah and Donelson, all SO
simple, so direct, so comprehensive that
their effect on my mind was magical. They
raised the dark curtain which before almost
hid all hope of the future, and displayed the
policy and cours of action necessary only to
be followed with persistence to achieve ulti-
mste success. Yet by one of those accidents
so common in war he had incurred the dis
pleasure of his superior officer, Gen. Halleck
whom l then esteemed as the master mind
ruling and directing the several armies SUBJ
ject to his orders from his headquarters in
St. Louis
Gen. Sherman continued his glowing trb-
ute at great length reviewing Grants history
through the remainder of the war and up to
the date of his death.