Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1888-08-27
: norInnE REuNnoN


OF the old Fifteenth Connecticut Vol
unteers-One Hundred and seventy
of the Veterans Presene-The March
The Business Meeting-The Roster
The Dinner at the WanthrOp-A
Fine Time Generally.
The twenty-first annual reunion of the
Fifteenth regiment Connecticut Volunteers
was held in Meriden Saturday, and was one
that will he long remembered by the veter-
ans. The comrades and veterans of the Sill
yer City gave their visitors a hearty and
rousing reception and entertained them in
were: P G. Rand, G. F. Lindsey, Fl. F.
Church, Captain A. W. Harvey, w. Il. Cat
lin, L. P. Butler, Otis Kelsey and Captain
Waterman.
| The vets made rendezvous of L. P. But
ler's store, where they registered their names
| and received badge made of blue ribbon
| and metal. On the center of this was little
metal canteen, with a photograph set in each
| of the late General Sheridan. Around the
| photo was the legend 1--WE drank from the
| same canteen." The vets prize the badges
very highly as mementoes. They purchased
another miniature eanteen with Col. Upham's
| likeness on the center. Both were made and
| designed in tho Silver City and are quite
| pretty to look at on the veterans coats.
The business meeting was held in Grand
| Army hall and presided over by President
Beecher of the association, who called upon
Rev. John B. Doolittle to make the opening
| prayer.
Then followed the reading of the minutes
of the last reunion and the annual reports.
81. G. Baldwin, of Naugatnck, arose and ex-
tended an invitation to the veterans to hold
/ their next reunion in his town and assured
| them hearty welcome from the citizens of
| that town. 1t was voted to accept the in
| vitstion. 81. G. Baldwin, L. II. Baldwin and
Rufus Lewis were appointed to make the ar
| rangements, and P. e. Bowman of this city
| and G. F. Linsley of Meriden vera appointed
| a COMMITTEES to see about transportation to
| the reunion, which will be held on August
| "a, 1889. Officers of the association for the
| coming year were then elected as follows:
James Fl. CLARK of New Haven, president;
w. 81. Catlin of Meriden, vice president;
| Walter Lord of this city, secretary and treas
urer; Col. George NJ. White of this city, his
| torian; Fl. Ct. Marshall of Cromwell, chap
lain. The rest of the intervening
and inspecting the new roster, which is
unfinished yet. The idea of the roster was
conceived by Col. Tolles, and it was prepared
by Col. White assisted by Walter Pond and
others. It will be record of all the MEM
bers of the regiment living or dead from the
4 time of enlistment until the muster out; also
a record of all the reunions of the regiment.
A vote OF thanks was rendered to the authors
of the work for their untiring labors. Short
speeches were made by Col. Tolles, who
called attention to the above book and asked
| for the assistance of all the members to make
| the work perfect.
Rev. John B. Doolittle, former chaplain
OF the regiment, now of Nebrsska, made a
| short speech. He was welcomed most
| heartily. They will never forget his devotion
and assiduous care of them when the yellow
l fever was striking down one after another
of the comrades. His speech evoked q
| big round of applause Fred. Carter, G. f.
Linsley and others spoke. Comrade Waugh
gave an humorous description of the escape
of a deserter from deputy U. S. marshal.
After the business meeting the veterans
| formed in line, and, headed by the Meri-
| den fife and drum corps and President
Church, Colonel Upham and Lieutenant
Colonel Tolles, marched up Main street to
the soldiers monument, where the line was
halted that comrades might read at the
monument the names of Meridsn's dead
heroes inscribed on the tablets The deco
| ratiops along the line of march were very
elaborate. Among them were noticed the
were profuse displays of flags and bunting,
and in front was banner inscribed
Welcome 18th Conn. Vols.
Also at w. 81. Collins among the decora-
| tions were gun, sabre, canteen and knapsack
grouped on the lawn. The veterans marched
to the Winthrop hotel where in the large
dining room they sat down to a bountiful
spread, to one which did great credit to the
occasion and to which the vets did full jus
| tice. 1t was at the expense of the veterans
| and some of the veterans of the Silver city,
and all united in saying that it was one OF
the best the veterans had ever been served al
a reunion, and all were warm in praise OF
their Meriden friends. One hundred and
ifty-two out of the 40 vets presents sat
down at one time and the rest were served
later. The vets were waited upon by about
twenty waiter girls who were charmingly at
tired in the stars and stripes, and the vett
highly enjoyed the occasion. The reunion
was one of the pleasantest of the year in al
| respects.