The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-31
VOLUME xxxvI-NUMBER 248.

Unjust. lney nave seen especially Sucl
a great gathering OF veterans rs that ON
which met here in our midst last Angus
and held a four days reunion on tn
Island OF the various commands tina
represented the Army OF West Virgins
in the war. They saw this city decora
ted on that occasion in honor OF those
veterans as it was never decorated be.
fore. They saw IL literally covered with
flags and its streets emblazoned with
banners OF welcome and congratulation,
and almost every house decked with
some reminder OF the meaning and sig
nificance OF the great event then occur.
ring in our midst. They saw hundreds
OF the old veterans marching through
ourstreets heself-same streets through
which some OF them had marched TO the
front in 1861, and keeping step to the
music Of the drum corps that had en-
Unused their patriotism and their valor
in those never to be forgotten days.
They saw them carrying their old latter
cd war flags and wearing the badges and
medals that had been given them for
honorable service. They saw some Of
the prominent men OF the war on that
great occasion, and among them an ex-
President OF the United States who had
first come among US rs the officer OF
volunteer regiment in 1861. They saw
the venerable general who had mobili-
zed and led our First West Virginia
troops to the first scene OF conflict. They
saw our old dwargovernor who had issued
the first commissions OF many Of the
officers present on that occasion and
heard from lips "reminiscences ofthose
eventfrl days. They saw the gallant
soldier governors OF our two neighbor-
ing States, one OF whom had been
literally shot to pieces in the bat
ties around Richmond in which
he had borne such honorable part. They
heard the addresses and experiences OF
all these gallant men and OF others be-
side. They heard also that mighty
throng Of soldiers and citizens under
meath the great tent join in singing the
songs the boys had sung in the days
when some OF them marched with Sher-
man from Atlanta to the sea.
In view then, my friends, OF all that
this community, old and young, has
known, beard and read Of the war as
part Of our local history may ask again
what shall speaker offer for your con-
sideration on such an occasion as this.
The object OF this day is OF course
known to you all. II was most appro-
priately chosen for this season OF the
year. The coldness OF winter and the
fitfulness OF spring have passed away.
The early summer with its genial
warmth, its first fresh flowers, its beauty
OF field and forest and all its promise OF
the golden harvest time, is upon us.
The patriotic idea was TO appoint day
so fair, 80 genial, so inviting that all the
people, even the old and the delicate,
could meet together somewhere out OF
doors, both in city and country, and
honor the hcrioc men who preserved to
us united country with allits wealth
OF blessings.
As it is in nature to-day so it was in
our history % years ago. After the long
and dreary and depressing winter OF
lS64-5 and the uncertain and hesitating
spring that followed, April came to us at
last with its sunshine and its victories.
Richmond fell on the Sd, Lee surren-
dered on the 9th and johnson on the
26th OF that month. The lst OF May
saw the Southern Confederacy a mass
OF ruins snd its President and Cabinet
fleeing the country in every direction.
On the 18th OF this month OF May, how
ever, occurred the very last conflict with
the foe, near Brdzos, Santiago, Texas,
and by strange dispensation OF Proyi-
denCe, as it were, it happened that the
last shot fired in the war was fired by
colored troops. Thus it was that in
this memorial month the long deferred
hopes of the people and all their patient
patriotism and countless sacrifices were
crowned at length by the flowers OF May.
Tothe eyes ofthe waiting mothers, wives
and sisters OF this land the flowers of
May never bloOmed so sweetly or ex-
hailed such fragrant perfumes us on those
May days OF 1865, when fathers, hus-
bands, sons and brothers began return
ing home from the war.
twas on the I'D and 23d days OF May,
1865, that the great final parade Of the
war took place at Washington, the most
magnificent pageant ever witnessed in
this country, the mastering out OF Il
part OF the army OF the Potomac and Of
the army OF the Tennessee. There are
some here no doubt who with myself
witnessed that spectacle and to whom it
has remained ever since one OF the
grandest and most impressive memories
OF the war. The people came from NIL
parts OF the country to witness it. For
two days those soldiers OF Grant and Of
Sherman filed past the grand stand
where they were reviewed by the Presi-
dent OF the United States and his cab
met and the representatives OF foreign
governments. They marched twelve
deep, brigade after brigade, division after
division and corps after corps, and the
sun never shone upon finer specimens
OF stalwart manhood. Sixty thousand OF
Sherman's veterans had arrived from
North Carolina and were reviewed on
the second day. They were the men
who had marched from the Ohio 10
the Cumberland, fromthe Cumberlandto
the Tennessee, from the Tennessee TO AT
lanta, from Atlanta to Savannah and from
Savannah through the Carolinas to
Washington. They had marched more
miles and fought more battles than any
army OF the war. They had fought under
Rosecrans, under Thomas, and under
Sherman. They had experienced vic
tory and defeat. They had fought ut
Stone River, ut Chickamauga, at Lookout
Mountain, at Resaca, at Kenesaw, and
many other places. Some OF them had
held the Altoona Pass against odds SO
desperate and with an endurance so
heroic that the finest hymn in Moody
and Sankey's collection drew its origin
and its inspiration from their holding
the fort at that pass.
II 4, Is.,,r snVN tNI n