Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-09-09
tcor. Toledo Bee.)
THE 0STH REGIMENT.
A Pleasant Reunion at HoIgate on
Thursday.

1 -NN~'~NsHN
Thursday.
HoLGATE, o., Sept. 2.-The gallant
old 68th held its annual reunion here to-
day, and such day was never before
seen in this enterprising little town.
The crowd attending the reunion was
only exceeded by the hospitality of the
good citizens of Holgate. In fact, the
town threw open its doors, and the old
vets, their friends and admirers filed
it to its boundaries. The forenoon was
given over to meeting and shaking
hands, recalling the pleasant days spent
in the Sunny South, and the choked
voice and filling eye often told the look
er on that the boys were recalling the
fate of some big-hearted comrade who
never returned.
Charley Reynolds, who was the
guest of "Old Wirz" at the Hotel de
AndersOnville for fourteen months,
told again and again how some of the
comrades of the old 6Sth had starved
and died, but never faltered.
Gov. r. X. Scott, the second colonel
of the 6Sth, was present, meeting his
old boys for the first time in six years.
Col. Geo. E. Wells, the idol of all
the 6Sth, came all the way from Kan
sas to meet his old regiment.
The roll call showed the regiment to
be one of wonderful longevity-of the
400 who came home in '65, 1856 an
swered to their names to-day and many
were unable to be present on accounto Of
distance or business.
After bountiful dinner, the line was
formed and, headed by the Holgate
hon nnH tho NarnInn.n
the 68th and visiting comrades of other
regiments to the number of 300, follow
ed Col. Wells, President of the organi-
zation, over the line of march to the
speakers stand, where the exercises
were opened by the old chaplain of the
regiment, Rev. Mr.. Porter. Then Fol-
lowed very elaborate program ofsing-
ing by the Glee Club, of Holgate;
speaking by Col. Wells, Gov. r. X.
Scott and Capt. d. X. Bowker, the
thunder-toned orator of the gallant
old l4th, who took occasion to say he
was one of Old Gen. Steedman's boys
that he served with the Hero of Chicka-
mauga. The reference was cheered to
| the echo.
Mrs. Rebecca Steedman McCann,
without whom no reunion of the regi-
ment is success, was present. Her
father, Col. Harry Steedman, was the
original Colonel of the 6Sth, and her
husband, Cary McCann, was O brave
soldier boy in the same regiment. He
lost his health in the service of his
country and came home but to die;
she is also niece of Gen. Jas. B. Steed-
man. Is it any wonder, then, that
when presented to the old boys by Col.
Wells, that a mighty cheer went up
for their gifted sister?-for nothing else
would the old boss call her.
In her own inimitable eloquence Mrs.
McCann favored the boys with the
"Grand Army and other selections,
one piece taking the old boys back
through the dreary march TO the bloody
field of carnage, and to the side of q
dying comrade-h@me with depleted
ranks, with no answer but sad shake
of the head and quivering lip, to the
enquiry for loved ones, by fathers,
mothers, sisters, brothers, and the silent
but unspeakable grief of the loving
maiden, while the next piece would
have the whole audience convulsed
with laughter.
kilograms were read from comrades
expressing regrets and extending con-
gratulations and God speed to their old
comrades. At a business meeting held
In the evening the old officers were
again reelected and Liberty Center
designated as the place for meeting,
| August 9th, 1887. YORICK.