The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-13
REUNION OF OLD COMRADES
Annual Gathering of Soldiers Who
Marched tOt the Music of the Union.
Group of Officers that Recalled Period of
Thrilling Events in Indiana-AConvention
that Considered Pension Legislation.
GATHERING OF VETERANS.

GATHERING OF VETERANS.
Oficers and Privates Meet Now Upon Com
mon Plane of Citizenship.
The assembling here to-day of the Grand
Army of the Republic, Department of In
diana, will bring the usual number of meet
ings of old comrades, and there will be
mutual remembrances and reminders of
long-gone scenes of camp and field, and in
cidents of days that were deeds of heroism,
born in the smoke of battle, will be told
with throbbing hearts, and eyes will again
CLEAN with the fire of conflict. An historic
group was that which came together yes
terday, quite by chance, in the lobby of the
New Denison House. There were four in
the group-Governor HOvey, Gen. Tom
Bennett of Richmond; Col. r. p DeHart.
of Lafayette, and Gen. Reub Williams, of
Warsaw. do you see those four old sol
diers over therep remarked an elderly
Iooker-on to the reporter. well, that's an
historic group. Generals Williams and
Bennett and Colonel DeHart were members
of the famous military commission that
tried Bowles, Mllligan, Horsey and
Humphreys for treason, a quarter of GEN.
Governor Hovey was then the General COM
handing this district, and while he didn't
exactly appoint the commission he chose
the men and that stanch Secretary of War;
Edwin NJ. Stanton appointed them. There
were nine officers ON that commission, ten
including Judge Advocate Burnett, and
q majority of the number still live. Of
those tried, Bowles alone is dead. The COM
mission sentenced BOwles, Milligan and
Horsey to death, and Andrew Humphreys
out of consideration for piece of mitigat
ing evidence, escaped that sentence. Hum
phreys was saved by the testimony OF a
witness who said that when about four
hundred Sons of Liberty went out in Greene
county, armed to resist the draft, he had
urged them to disband and return to their
homes"
'"The veterans are all w ell grizzled now"
remarked another bystander. II remember
Dick DeHart. as he was called, as the
youngest member of the Indiana Senate In
1861. Iheard his maiden speech, and 1t was
full of the fire of patriotism in that body.
where the Democratic obstructionists fell
little short of being traitors DeHart had
complexion like woman's nature own red
and white. and his head, well poised upon
his shoulders, was covered with shock of
curling anh S ptn hair all 1t great
given hearty hand-shake by many of the
older members among them that sturdy,
broad-shouldered man from Miami county.
upon whom Governor Morton came to lean
II.
triotic Democrat and courtly gentleman,
Allan Hamilton, of Allen county. The In
diana Senate of 1861, don't mind saying to
you privately, remarked the grim veteran
with an attempt at humOr, was a very diff
ferent body from that represented in the
Democratic majority in 1885,"
Gen. Reub. Williams is the Oldest editor
In continuous service in Indiana. Over
publishing the Indianian at Warsaw, and
has continued to do so ever since. with the
exception of three years during the war.
He admires backbone, but no more than
conversation yesterday afternoon, ex-
pressed himself on Governor HOvey. Il
know HOvey," said he. after serving as
adjutant in the Forty Indiana and as
Northumberland in the Ninety ninth In
diana, was cOlonelin the One-hnndred-and-
twenty-eighth, one of Hovey's six regi-
ments. We have grand man for Govern
or. AS anofficer there were none Drawer or
truer. heartsomebody ask whether HOvey
has got backbone. Great heavens, the old
man isas firm as the eternal hills"
Last evening the hotels were filled with
Grand Army men, and the number of ladies
representing the WOman's Relief Corps was
apparently larger than has ever before
been called out in Indiana. Everything
points to a large attendance at the depart
ment encampment to-day, ana it will in
all likelihood be the greatest convention of
the order ever held in the State. There are
now 4S9 q. A. X. posts IL good standing in
Indiana entitled to a representation of
commanders, past commanders and repre-
sentatives, aggregating 2,156. and it is
naS Warner w
others to the city. The general order of
Joseph A. Forbes, officer of the day, issued
yesterday, invites all the posts in the city
to assist in escorting the commander-in in
Encampment from the New DenisOn House
to Tomlinson Hall. Commanders and posts
viii report promptly for this purpose at
SO SSI9fk he this mfHrning The line of
New Denison House on Pennsylvania
street to Market; west on Market to Illi-
nOis; south on Illinois to Washington; east
on Washington to Delaware, thence north
to order at $50 o'clock. The campfire will
be held this evening. at 8 o'clock, at Tom
inson Hall, the general public being in
yited to attend, Seats will be reserved in
encampment and the State meeting of the
Women's Relief Corps. All other parts of
the hall, with the exception of the stage,
will be open to the public.
by Gov. Alvin p. Hoyey, to which
response will be made by Hon.
William Warner, of Missouri, Ma.
tional Commander-In-chief. Addresses
tenant-governor Chase, Gen. Mahlon ID.
Manson, 7. J. Charlton, Chaplain Lozier
Rev. ID. r. Lucas D. E. Kelly and others
The music programme for the occasion is a
good one. noticeable feature of which is
that the instrumental part of it will be
furnished by the band of the Soldiers Or
phans' Home, of Knightstown. Mrs. c. H
spangled Banner" John G. Blake
'..Old Shady" "Tenting Tonight OF
the Old Camp Ground" and Other
war lyrics, and pot pourri of patriotic
airs will be given by Prof. Robert A. New.
land upon the piano. There will be recita
tons by Kate C. Coffin, of the Orphans
Home, and John A. ZOok, of Madison
Among the addresses of the evening will bt
one by Mrs. Flora Wulschner on behalf OF
the Women's Relief Corps. Mrs. Ida HOOD
Talbot will recite "A Battery Going into
Action.
SERVICE PENSIONS.