Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-07-07
A PRESENTATION.

Last evening the Garfield post bald it,
regular meeting. and when the call for new
business was made Col. G. C. Lewis pre-
eented Post Commander John Fisher with
/. gavel. Col. Lewis spoke Is follow:
Post Commander:
To you, as the representative Of this
post. am about to present this gaveL It
has been scared through the large hearted
generosity of Comrade Richey, who has re-
auested me to donate it to the post
L d not without historic interest. No
soldier of the union will ever look upon it
without thrill Of the old time fire that
quickened his pulse in the roar Of battle.
This handle is of iron wood, cut from the
spot where the battle ragged most hercely
on Kenesaw mountain. The head Of the
mallet is of southern pine. carved from the
trunk of tree upon the bloody
field Of Chickamauga. Set with
in the face of the mallet head.
as a mosaic, is bit of cellar that felt the
shock, and trembled with the vibrations Of
the artillery, at Stone river and here, car
ried almost out of sight in its side, making
An ugly and horrible wound, is an iron
grape shot, fired By rebel artillery at the
union lines, which spent its force upon and
bur led itself out of sight within q growing
tree. My comrades, the history of the great
struggle for the perpetuity Of this nation
the tolls and dangers, the deeds of heroism
and of sacrifice, are all written and symbol
lied in this bit of wood. AS we look upon
this cruel shot, torn from its hiding place
after more than twenty years, many Of
us are here who heard the report of the gun
that fired it. 1t was one of the thousand
pieces of artillery and the hundred thou
sand muskets whose mighty and continuous
roar filled our ears as they spit forth from
their iron throats the fire and smoke, and
the deadly shower OF lead and iron that
thinned our ranks on those dreadful days in
September, '63.
Who knows but that shot, ere its force
was spent, passed through the heart of q
comrade! Who can tell but that its fellows,
fred in the self same charge, carried weep
ing that could not be comporsed far away In
the north to mothers or widows heart!
As the tree that received this rebel shot grew
on and fourished, SO this Nation survived
the efforts of the rebellion to take its life
not, indeed. without q scar, but like the tree,
still showing the dire and cruel wound in
the persons of its manned, and crippled, and
broken down and suffering heroes, who
heart.
1t is fitting and appropriate that pieces
of wood and iron with such history
should be gathered as they have been by
loyal patriot hands and shaped together
into an instrument that represents the
authority of the presiding officer of the
noblest order Of America. 1t is peculiarly
proper that gsvel, manufactured from the
wood OF trees that have quivered and shooh
with the roar Of cannon, while their root
were ba:hed with the blood Of heroes and
their leaves inhaled the sulphurous smoke
amid the mighty and tumultuous thunder.
of three great battles, should now, aftel
twenty years Of peace and sunshine, cal
with its gentle rappings to charitable ant
patriotic duties the gray-haired surviving
veterans of those stormy days of war.
Post Commander, 70 you and your sue
cessors, in trust for Garfield Post, l nov
present this gsyel.
Mr.. Fisher responded in a well prepares
and fitting speech. Its length prevents 1t
publication in this issue.
After he had finished his remarks the pos
honored Capt. Richey with q vote of thank
for obtaining the gavel and Col. Lewis re
ceived the same complement for the excel
lent manner in which he presented it.
Mr.. Fisher was also rendered vote o
thanks for his excellent speech of accept
ance.