The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-09-19
TO ANTIETAM.

The Reunion of the Fifth Maryland
and the First Delaware Veteran Reg
! iments on This Historic Battlefield.
, The Fifth Maryland and the First
Delaware Veteran Regiments held
their annual reunion at Antietan, on
Thursday, and those who attended
, from this city loft the Baltimore 4
Ohio Railroad station at the foot Of
, Market street, on special train of
, seven cars a few minutes after 8 O'Clock
In the morning. There were not more
than two ear loads from this city,
among them being Speaker of the Sem
ate John p. Donohue, Speaker OF the
House W. L. Sirman,. Col. Samuel A.
Macallister. County Treasurery Jno. I.
hickey, Dr.. Shortlldge, DR.. " aies, q. Il.
Ash, Charles A. Foster, and q number
of other well known citizens. At New
. ark the party was joined by General
, Armstrong and Mr.. Griffith, and at
IElkton by Colonel Davis, a former
, Commander OF the Fifth Maryland.
A number OF others boarded the train
at Baltimore and Washington and al
most every car was filled. The ride
down was delightful and the scenery
: beautiful. The Point of Rocks was
Preached at lbs O'Clock, and the next
: lplaoe Of interest was Harper's Ferry
with South Mountain. on which Stone
wal jackson stood when he directed
the bombardment OF the town and
government buildings. looming up.
At this place the Shenandoah and Po-
Itomac rivers Join, and the bridge which
crosses there Is one OF the most novel
lin the country.
. Here it was that John Brown, in
I lspired by the consciousness that all
|. men are born free and equal,n sowed
the seeds OF the war which resulted in
the perpetuation Of the Union, and the
emancipation of four millions of hu-
man beings from slavery. He yielded
up his life in defense of the cause,
! which his sturdy, honest spirit taught
him was right, but while his body lay
Imouldering in the grave, his soul was
, marching on, and inspired hundreds
Iof thousands of men to offer them
i selves as living breastwork between
treason and the old flag and the Union
The train rolled on, and shortly be-
fore 2 o'clock stopped at Antietam sta
ltion, when the passengers disembark-
) ed and took hacks for Sharpsburg,
> about one mile and a half distant.
] This town Is historic one, having been
: laid out July o, 1773, by Joseph Chap
line.
nj tlldb litilt u WIS lIllllDlleu ny Cle
: Delaware tribe of Indians who had es-
! tabIished several trading posts. In the
lyear 1872 terrible battle was fought
about three miles south Of the town
between the Catawbas and Delawares,
c (which resulted in the determination of
the latter. During the revolution
! General Washington passed through
i this town twice on his way up the Po-
r tomac. The Grove property, one OF
= the largest buildings In the town, Is a
Z lpoint OF especial interest, as it is In
. lthis house that General Lee held
4 "a conference with General Longstreet
q in September, 1852, in reference TO his
t contemplated invasion of the North.
o During the war for the suppression of
) the rebellion the people of ShaFps-
r burg were loyal to the Union, aud on
a Thursday it was evident from the
J many flags that were floating, and the
grand display of bunting, that this
: lfeeling still predominates.
v This town, although small, furnish
s led 200 good loyal men, who did good
/. service in defence of the Union. These
men participated in the battles OF
Harpers Ferry, Point of Rocks, Mono
i. cacy junction, Gettysburg, and other
we'll contested fields. Both compa.
Z mics were captured at Harper's Ferry
tby Stonewall Jackson. who, on account
3 of thelr bravery, parolled them. The
d old veterans who attended the re-
f union on Thursday, of course, felt at
home among such loyal people, and
" knew that they were welcome when
they saw the old flag under which they
!, had fought floating IN the breeze.
eThere was very little accommodation
= to be bad at the one-horse hotel. and
O the majority Of the party took hacks
q for the battle-ground. This is not fan
: from the town, but the majority of the
q hack drivers had the cheek to ask so
. cents fare.
Upon reaching tho ground some OF
the party who had been in that menu
orable light, started out to find the
: place where their regiments were OF
that day. One old veteran on erutches
y with his right leg gone, said:
z II was Just about here when | was
j struck with the ball which ca used me
a to lose my ley. IS
Another whose left arm was gone
:, said.
'Well. IBwas over yonder when re-
: ceiyed the wound which caused me to
q lose this arm, but it was plain to be
seen that none regretted what they
i had given in defense of the old flag,
a and for the perpetuation OF the Union.
Our line was here, and the rebels
was over yOnder' said another old vete
ran, when we were given the order
to dislodge them, and didn't we make
9 them git"
n Il remember that" said another,
| 'our brigade was right over there
{ pointing with his finger to the spot
, where he WIS stationed. And thus the
old heroes talked. and it was evident
6 that If the occasion should again arise,
! those who are able would not be back
: ward in responding to the call.
, THE CEREMONIES.
Q About $50 O'Clock meeting was or.
ganized at the monument erected to
mark the spot where Companies A. and
l. of the Fifth Maryland Regiment
were slaughtered. Speeches were
: made by Colonies Wilcox, Hitchcock,
Q Davis and Jones, and Sergeant Foster,
Y the latter of this city. In addition to
n the survivors OF the First Delaware
4 and Fifth Maryland there were mum
o Der of members of the One Hundred
a and Thirtieth and One Hundred and
a Thirty-Second Pennsylvania and One
hundred and Fourth New York Regi-
ments present.
The One Hundred and Thirty-Second
Pennsylvania Regiment was presented
with handsome flag, which was lie.
! ceiVed with appropriate ceremonies.
9 THE NATIONAL CEMETERY.
g The Antietam National Cemetery,
: which Is one OF the finest In the United
j. States, is located OH an elevated piece
of ground at the eastern end OF the
town of Sharpshurg, from which can