Telegram-herald., 1888-09-10
RE EAOY FOR COLUMBUS
Trs CITY FILLED wsTr VETERANS
TIE Caster sEd Ch.sapts Posts H. yakiy
k.tsrt.as rAsiF yisftsEs-rhs rsss~as@-
tloa Of the FI4xs. sPsseass ~ Job.
FsEt.E .na otAsrs.


tain the comrades frem Aasksg0h. Ass4y-
80. PsntwsssF aud Hart
Custer Guards sfnory uss hung With
nags. and Assral isast Of PoIk and oesna
biscuits hard t2ck. 4 ughnUts, eortss snd
fruits wss prepared Ia the banquet room.
over The d0oFs ~ ~hich we're mOttoes
worked In nswezs with the words Wei
cone comrades
AT II O'Clock Custer and Champlin Post.
were ssemeiet a. Tia Custer Post Arm0Fy.
and as noon the Pos. with Ins sons VI
Veterans as sdvGngs guards, marched 10
tue depot 10 meet trs veterans who were
expected Ia on tle &. & W. n.
The train hall hour
late and brought IN fouaeen veterans from
Pentwater, seventeen from Hart seven
from Aesrs. six from Shelby. tws.ve from
Auskegon. three from MonLsgus. feur from
Grand Haven There we're also 800 ex-
cursionlsts from Muskegon. who came
down on the regular q. 4 W. Nj. excursion
and returned last night.
As soon as the train came In the visitors
were escorted 10 the srmory where refresh
meats were served, and the veterans then
separated add enjoyed themselves IN visit
ing at tue places OF interest In our city.
ceived . telegram that the bridge over the
Nuskegon river at Newsygo had been
washed away oy the breaking of the dam,
aud the special train expected from that
division OF the road could not come.
tsayett Immediately telegraphcd 10 have .
train sent from Newaygo and go by way OF
Muskegon. so as not TO disappoint people
north Of Newsygo. while he equipped .
train aud started 10 pick up oil this side OF
the destroyed bridge.
At 73O last evening the veterans assem-
blcd In the Arnory OF Custer Post but lind
ing that the room was not large enough 70
accommodate the crowd, Captain Kinney
OF Company "B" kindly offered the use of
their armory which was accepted.
When the crowd mad assembled in the
spacious armory OF Company "B" the vet
srans were called TO order by Commander
w. ID. Frost, and all who we're TO take part
in the exercises OF the evening were invited
TO the stage. Among those invited were
tbs opposing candids, ,es for Congress from
the Fifth District. Mr.. Belknap promptly
stepped 10 the platform but Mr.. Ford
seemed rather reluctant and did not come
TO the front until after the opening prayer
mad been offered by Corarade DR.. Waits.
After the prayer the whole congr sgation
arose and sang America"
Mr. Ford arose and announced that the
presentation o: the flags would be made by
John Patton. Jr. Mr.. Patton stepped TO
tue front Of the stage and spoke as follows:
THE generosity of the citizens of Grand
Rapids has provided these beautiful ban
ners and / am here at their request TO for
mally present them TO Custer Post. Our
country occupies place in our hearts next
TO our God and this is our excuse for as-
sem mbling on the evening of this holy day TO
rta for hes
emblems represent the glory. the unity and
he prosperity of the Republic. Aside from
the compliment conveyed in this gift TO the
standing and character of the veterans OF
Custer Post there is the feeling in the hearts
Of all citizens that nowhere on earth 10 the
DAG more secure. now here is there DO ody
| of men more worthy TO carry it In peace
than these veterans who have risksd their
ives 70 save il and whooe valor makes il
possible to assemble here under one flag q
united people.
nv mind goes back irresistibly from this
scene to those other days wh en- the flag was
| presented to you under far di ffsrent clrcum-
i stances from these. How vividly every in.
| cident OF that exciting time is photographed
on our memories in characters that can
never fade while reason holds her sway!
vas but q boy in little country town
| in the Esst-a little town that contributed
Ivo companies to the war for the Union
| but IL is all fresh in my memory. / recall
the great excitement when the fatal shot
was hurled from rebel batteries on the flag
| at Sumpter. The brave words Of the orators
yet linger in my ears. ] see in memory the
| preliminary drilling on The green. the dag
pressD tAtiOn, when those brave boys with
uplifted hands swere before God that they
would ss did their fathers. guard the ban
ner with their lives, their fortunes and their
sacred honor.
All, Who can say how precious how dear.
Those brave young hearts Of happy homes the
light
Yet wives and mOthers smiling tbro' their tears
Cave them unmumering 70 the holy fght.
Who can forget that solemn spring morn
| ing when tae first company started for the
war. the convulsiye. heart breaking, sobs oil
women. tbe determined, set faces of brave
meng How our hearts followed them
through ali the long weary, awful years.
| With What pride erssd compliments 10 the
regiments ia which our.boys we're enrolled
| What interest attached 20 a wounded s0idl
o. home on furiough' What scene it zss
At tue postofice waiting At night for toe
news from the 'front.' The JOY Of victory.
| ths bitterness Of defest the news Of great
| battle, toe reading of the long lists of the
KILLED aud wounded. fstaefs turning away
with soos A. the names we're read Of their
loved and lost brave mothers who wsre a.
heroic as this ~0rid has seem / remember
one vno vas worthy to rank with the
! Spartan mothers Of old: worthy 10 stand
| with the s8etEer OF The GrscchL who said
vhsn ne~s came that her two boys had
died in bsit.. 4 have one more, out
woald rather iese them slI than that this
sov.rnmeat should ever be destroyed.
| What agony. vBAt safsTings. vhat privs-
ITEMS we're those Who can forget the sol
I disr fn1ersis. shsn With the toiiiug Of oe Is
and the parting volisy they were Drought
/ tendsriy hone and aid a. rest among taeir
kindred and when IL -as OIL ended and %.
Nation was ssvsd -hst joy vas ours' My
| b0yiah blood vas stirred ss | read Of the
grand review. whsn ths Gscimsied ranks
| With the tsttsYed fsgs. for the iasf tim.
marched througa Washington. and ! recall
I tue desrripren Of the N ost roms 1tic. most
picturesque 6gars of TIE ~sr. the intrepid
/ Custer st ths head Of his column. Then
rheB
Jokrnv c.ne marching ho-ae srsin.
save hiH hearty wesconae fhsn-
Throrzh 20. streets lined vifo happv
people aadsr The ~sieonsns srcbes. fss
fcoaed vita evrrxrsens and eoysrs -ith
ths Oh asxs rent snd ssoraa- beaten and bst-
fle-loosed and some Of thsn sssined -itb
ths el0od ofthe Brave nen 80 bore them
more eio1 leif t1sn Fer1s fan ever -
Michigan consy safed 9o.eoJ mea. 81 whom
you wsrs q part % tss ~sr for t6e sfon
snd 1900 esvs np fEer ives for thei-
eonafrv. Srsstsr iers hath 90
nan taan this Wat sasa -
aid of - k-~-sc Ssse1 No sd -.
meeting = canr es rlthaut speaking a
teen Nat sas 1szs sssli - fo7goffon
aes one grave out tsat shsA - reusem-
uered. vhefk@- fass si1nr@~ 81 Fredericks-
burz. sc ~ saks 81 Ire Easeska1 aocx
81 = sse e sr O tae Shess11osa. waeth.r
ea ths rscxs crssts 81 >11th sonafsa o.
k~tssts~ uaaffe~ hav -rz~Af sxs~ =,