The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-08-19
A ROMANTIC EVENT,
rHOOO'ederate Captain Watts Has His
Sword Returned to Him
' N"i'S na''ie Knapp, Daughter of Can't.
An"pp' to Whom Captain Watts
Surrendered 1t Twenty
Years Ago.

i rNG WAnak
Oh VsltOrs have gone out both from
CnlS CITY and MassillOn to visit the camD
OF the regiment, and witness tha nre.
sentAtlOI Of the sword csDtured from
nm TWEEN y-twO years ago to CsDtsin
, mavss, VI Heriden, Mississippi. OF
Sou,ee' 'apIalh watts is the hero of the
nour AT the reunion, and he is being
SHOWN the greatest attention, and made
the recipient OF all the cOurtesies 1t is
p0ssiOle TO bestOw by the boys of the
IU4th as we'll as by the visitors with
Whom ne comes In contact. Captain
WATTS IS greatly pleased with the rec2p-
tloh ana treatment he has met with. and
says De ls once more q prisoner In the
hands OF the l04th, but under quite diff.
lerent circumstances from twenty-five
years ago.
Flag flying and tent tops cleaning In
the bright sunlight at Lake Park indi-
cate the character of this interesting
gatherlDg there to day, The weather Is
delightful, and this, the 18th annual re
union OF the 104th, is the most success
full of any yet held by 1t.
Many veteran members of the regi
ment, and hundreds of visitors are pres.
ent this afternoon, and each succeeding
tIsln OF lake cars brings many addi
tiOnal visitors.
The Third Ohio Battery, which held
lts seventh annual reunion at the G. A.
K. Hall in the city this morning, is
present at the lake In full force.
A large campfire was held at Lake
Park last night, at which old army
songs we're sung, and many Teminisen-
ces related. Ex Confederate CAPTAIN
Watts entered heartily into the sport
OF the camp fire, and said he enjoyed II
very much.
Speaking of the Captains sword he said
to a DEMOCRAT reporter: Il would not
exchange that sword for the best farm
in Tennessee"
The ceremony Of presenting the sword
to Captain Watts took place at 3 O'Clock
this afternoon, Captain A. j. Ricks, OF
MasslllOn, making the presentation
speech, which was responded to by Cap.
tain Watts. The latter was made a
member of the 104th yesterday.
In the DEMOCRAT of Thursday was de.
tailed the pleasant gathering at Lake
Park Thursday afternoon on the occa.
sion of the seventeenth annual reunion
of the l04th REGIMENT owl. The re-
turn to ex-COnfeieraIe Captain Watts
OF Meriden, Miss, of the sword taken
from him, when captured, by Captain
Knapp, of the 104th, at the battle of
Franklin, Tenn, In November, 1864, fire..
quent mention of which romantic cpl
sode has appeared in the DEMoCRAT
occurred as stated in Thursdays issue,
between two and three o'clock.
The presentation was witnessed by
ov9r one thousand veterans and visitors,
all of whom we're touched by the affect.
ing scene. Miss Hattie Knapp, daughter
of Captain Knapp, presented the sword
to Captain Watts with the following
appropriate words:
CAPTAIN WATTS: On November 60
1886, will be the twenty second anniVer
sary of the battle of Franklin, the battle
IN which you surrendered your sword tc
Captain Knapp, You thinking the works
had bsen taken, marched bTaVely 20 the
. forts. out being mistake you were
compelled TO surrender. No bad feeling
existing, the favor was asked il at the
close OF the war your sword be returned,
providing both of your lives were saved
now have the pleasure Of returning to
you your sword, promised to you nearly
twenty-five years ago.
After the conclusion of Miss Knapp's
neat presentation speech, Captain A. j.
Kicks, OF Cleveland, was introduced and
spoke ss follows:
ADDRESS OF CAPTAIN A. J. RICKs.
The occasion which makes you our
guest to-day is one so exceptional In the
circumstances that have preceded 1t that
am sure will be justified If presume
that 1t Is OF unusual interest and signi
Cance to all concerned.
The fortune of war made you our
prisoner more than twenty years ago
after one Of the most sanguinaTy and
important battles of the war.
Twenty-Five years nave made such
changes In our relations to each other
"a to render this occasion one of great
interest and pleasure to US, without
making 1t any less pleasant or honora.
bic to you. We met upon the battlefelds
of the war as brave and honest foes, each
COL sciaatiOusly holding earnest conVic.
tiOns as to our duties as citizens.
We 60 not propose here and now to
ask you who was right or who was
wrong III that contest, for that would Oe
trenchlng upon The rules Of hospitality
which we are, as you know, under all
circumstances quick to appreciate and
recognizes,
We know you thought you we're In the
right, for only brave men, fighting for a
cause they ielt to be just and honorable,
could sacrifice as much and fight as gal.
lantly as you did during those four long
years Of war.
But we are rejOiced to know that now
you are glad we prevailed and that you
are again citizen of this great and
prosperous nation.
The people of Ohio through those
years of war and through the period of
reconstruction and exciting political
controversy following the war, were ter
ribly in earnest in maintaining the SUI
premacy of the Union and securing it's
perpetuity and the great principles un'
deElying it, but through 1t there was
never day when their hearts were
filled with rancOr or bitterness for the
people of the South. 1t was because they
knew that there was 80 much good in
store In the future Of this great country
for you and for US, and for all mankind,
that they fought and pray ed for its pre-
servatiOn and unity.
We know from observations, made un-
der circumstances Of some difficulty and
often of embarrassment, that you have
enough In the South In the magnificent
plantations, genial climate and brave
people to make us sure that our struggle
to keep you in the Union was not use
less.
We hope In this your first visit to our
State that you will see In our rich fields,
pOpulous cities and prosperous towns
and generous people, enough to make
you willing to be a perpetual partner to
our business of government and to fully
reconcile you to your defeat and surren-
der.