The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-20
WAR
The Survivors of the Eleventh Regiment
Hold Another of Their Reunions.
Mayor Denny Gives the Veterans q Cordial
Welcome TO the City and Gen. Lew Wal
lace Responds for His Old Soldiers.

nuai reunion and campfire yesterday afternoon
and evening at Masonic Hall. The ladies of the
regiment spread a fine dinner at / o'clock, which
was enjoyed immensely by the old veterans and
about three hundred Of their friends and guests.
AT 3 o'clock a business meeting was held, which
DR.. Rocker, of Castleton, former surgeon Of the
regiment, almost broke up by bringing in a bar
rel of hard cider labeled, "Quinins and Coffee"
It was greeted with cheers and . good part Of it
was speedily disposed Of.
Last evening the survivors of the regiment
fell in ranks and marched to the
New Denis on House and escorted General
Lew Wallace. their first colonel, to the hall.
The hall was crowded by the time the regiment
got there. The Mendelssohu Quartet sang 1.-The
Battle Hymn of the Republic, and several Of
the old soldiers persisted in joining in the chorus.
Mayor Denny Was then introduced, and made
the speech of welcome. He said that it afforded
him great pleasure to say q few words to the
surviving members of the Eleventh Regiment.
mo regiment that went 10 the front 70 do battle
for the Union deserves a heartier welcome" he
said, "and no city of Indiana could feel prouder
Of the presence of the old Eleventh than this,
where so much was done towards its organiza-
ton and whore so many of its members reside.
Every loyal citizen of Indiana feels proud
OF its history, which is the best known Of any
perhaps that ever left the State. It was one OF
the first volunteer regiments to prepare for and
do actual service in the field. 1t shirked no duty
assigned II, aud gave the confederates with
whom il came in contact no time to shirk their
duty. The regiment was in seventeen hard
fought battles, besides skirmishes, commencing
with Fort Donelson and ending with Cedar
Creek. 1t was exceedingly fortunate. however,
in losses sustained on the field. No regimental
officer was killed during the entire service Of
four years. But one was wounded. and he not Sc
riously. That was the gallant Dan Macsuley, at
Champion Hill. The people of indianapolis, as
well as his old comrades, miss him here tonight
L Am here to bid you welcome and thank you on
the behalf of the public for the privilege Of
meeting you. The general public is always in
terested in these reunions. We are glad to see
| you together again In this city, whore We have
had the pleasure of meeting with you many
times before and hope TO many times again. /
speak for al the people of Indianapolis when I
bid you all welcome. thrice welcome, % our
midst on this occasion of your twelfth annual
reunion The Mayors speech WAS received
with hearty applause and private g. b. Thomp-
son, who was acting as chairman, introduced
Gen. Lew Wallace, who was received With
cheers. Gen. Wallace said:
mayor Dsnny-In response to the hearty well
come that you have given Us. perhaps the best
thing | could say is simply. We thank you. SIR
We have always had a hearty welcome In Indi-
annapolis in the twelve reunions we have held
here. and we know it's a good place to come to.
1t is natural that we should come here because
1t was here We we're twice organized-frst as
three months men aud then rs veterans. When
President Lincoln issued his first call for troops
received q telegram from Governor Morton
l taDplauSel TO come to Indianapolis. i
excitement. The excitement OF a political
with it. Governor Morton said We have to
raise six regiments as our quota, and | want
you to act as sdjutant-general. Issid to him.
Have you not an acknowledgement alreadyF
Yes. said be, but he is not on our side Said
L. Where Is the office and booker There Is no
Office aud there are no books he replied; you
will Just have to get along without them.' 1
told him that / would accept the Office aud 60 to
work at once, upon one condition. and his coun.
tenance fell when he asked me what
the condition was, but he frightened
up again when / told him my
condition was that / should have my choice of
one of the regiments and go with it to the field.
Another condition that 1 made was that I
should be allowed to send for Fred Knefer for
my clerk. That was on Tuesday morning, and
when on Saturday night l made my report to
the Governor l reported six regiments raised
and seventy companies over. Applause l
said. make my regiment the Eleventh Indiana,
so~no one can say l picked out the first for my
self, and that is how | came to be your colonel
fApplause.l Early Sunday morning / marched
you to an old brick house in the northern part
of the city, and at 10 o'clock WI had drill. l
uniformed the regiment on my own credit. and
have been wondering ever since how that tailor
came 10 trust me for those clothes. Laughter.
The old Eleventh was the first regiment seen
uron these streets, and it was the first TO leave
for the front. We have good cause
for a kind remembrance of the city where we
organized and reoresnized in three months. In
recognizing we elected the same officers and
had the same drill for three years Through the
aptitude OF the men and the zeal Of the COM
pany officers it was the best drilled regiment 1
ever saw-the best disciplined and the best or
gained IL wss never upon a battlefield where
there was 8 defeat. 1t halted aud retired once
or twice upon command. and that with grumb-
ling until the men found it was to take up a
better position. There was once an Indisna
regiment In the Mexican war that was unjustly
and falsely accused of cowsrdice. IL was at the
battle of Beuna Vista, and the Eleventh was
determined to wipe that false stain of the shield
of Indiana, 80 We took for our motto, 'Remem-
Der Beuns Vista You all remember il. Every
man understood that he represented the
pride and honor of the State. No retreat
for them IL meant disgrace for them ana a
disgrace to the State. We were at Cumberland
in a dangerous position, with 1000 rebels in
front OF Us and a river as our back, and /
ordered a change OF position. 1t looked like q
retreat, and as | rode down the lines | could see
the scowls of the men and hear the muttered
words OF 'Buena Vista But to stay was ruin.
and IL was all right when they found sl had
placed them in an impregnable position. They
were the best blood of Indiana, and took TO
soldering as naturally as a duck takes to
water. They were instructive soldiers. 1t was
their nature TO fight. All that was necessary
was to give them q gun and they went att
When the war began Indiana was In disrepute;
when il closed, thanks to this regiment. we
stood among the foremost rank, and no one
now dares question the bravery OF Indiana
soldiers
General Wallace then referred to the
growth of Indianapolis from the village
that thew frat knew to a city and the
wonderful eroth of Indiana, and 10 conclusion
said: " thank you again. We know tn s Is q
good place to come to, aud know that no pains
For the third time l say for myself apd all our
comrades. we thank You"
The quartet sang "Tenting Tonight" and
on the battle of Champion Hill. 1t was read at
a Grand Army reunion last winter, and has boon
published in full. He said that it seemed like a
joke for him to be telling them about the battle
Of Champion Hill, because he had never yet met
a soldier who was in that battle, or the Vlcksourg
campaign that could not give lin points upon
both. II am sorry continued he. that Mayor
Denny mentioned THE fact about only one reg
mental officer being wounded and mono killed.
II always seemed to me somewhat discreditable,
and l always thought that some of them ought
to have been killed TO keep up the credit of the
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