Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-12-09
Salt 9akr lrmutrat.
THURSDAY,
DECEMBER Q, 1886
CORPORAL TANNERS LECTURE.
what the LegIcss Hero said In the
junction city.

Tuesday evening the UnionOrera House
was the scene OF unique and most in
terestng gathering OF old and young
Comrade II. G.. Wardleigh introduced
Corporal Tanner, the legless veteran and
beneiactor of the entire Grand Army of
the Republic After rapturous applause,
the gallant hero stepped forward and ad-
dressed the audience, which was fairly
numerous, on "The Grave and Gay; the
llumor and Pathos of the War" He was
especially pleased to see so many boys
in the house to be instilled with princi-
pies OF patriotism and loyalty. The idea
that the revival OF war "reminiscences was
apt to arouse bitterness was erroneous. No
two classes of people were ever so close
together, both mentally and physically,
as were the boys in blue and the bows
in grey at the close of the conflict The
speaker gave potent illustrations of this,
taken from his own life, as when he re-
ceived cordial greeting at camp fire of
ex-Confederates in Richmond, where
there was "no bloody chasm." The Cor
poral joined the Union army when only
l7ls years of age, even having to run
his father, though believing in the Union,
was opposed to his only boy fighting for
it. a vivid picture of camp life and war
experiences was given, the gay and the
grave, the plumber of the smokehouse
and the looting of the hen roost on one
side, and the cannon roar and musket hail
OF the battle field, on the other.
The Austrian rifle OF venerable memory
was resurrected from oblivion, in connec-
ton with the sidesplitting story of Pat
Kelly, the Irish eX-tailor, and his seven
blank cartridges. The speaker claimed
that army life was beneficial, inasmuch
as the attraction made the metal stronger
and showed and brought out what there
was of manhood in the individual. There
were as many Christian lives lived and
Christian deaths died on the battlefelds
as in the hospitals. The army mule
with his "weehaw" came in for his share
OF humoroes tribute; and the chaplains
got their share, pathetic eulogy of their
great services being interspersed with
wit. The origin of the hymn OF "Hold
the Fort" by the deceased Mr.. Bliss, was
touched upon. A loudly applauded
tribute was paid to the unequaled hero
Phil Kearney. The magnifcence of war
was illustrated by a graphic description
of the battle OF Malvern Hill in the
Peninsular campaign. The Corporal re-
ceived his first shot on the first day OF the
siege of Richmond, while gathering in
big and luscious blackberry In beauti-
full language he conjured up the camp
comrades of his old company, the muster
roll OF which is to him sacred relic.
Little Fox with the chicken in his drum
was received with hearty laughter, as
was also the story OF the little boy Of
Maine who recovered from serious
| wounds for his mothers sake. The mar
| tyrs of the war, however, were the vic
tins of the Southern prison dens; and
the wives mothers sisters and brides in
the Northern homes. The sublime por-
| ton OF the lecture was the thrilling mar
rative of the days when he
received the dreadful mutilation on the
battle field and was suffering the agony
| of worse than death, when uneXcelled
deeds OF chivalry were achieved.
1t is impossible for us to give more
than an imperfect sketch OF the incom
parable lecture, which the good peopl,
OF Salt Lake City have great reason t
regret not having been favored with
The Corporal's perOrations was as Crane
as ever anything spoken in the Rocky
| Mountains. 1t was crown OF eulogy o.
the Grand Army OF the Republic who
saved a nation, freed a race and restored
the Union, and will do so again when
needed the Northern hurrah and the
rebel yell sounding in one re-echoing
| harmony.
OGDEN Cry, Utah, Dec. S, 1886