The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-03
WAR FRIENDSHIPS THE BEST.


suppose we cot started 90 talking about tie
endurance OF friendships by hearing Amos's old.
est girl. IN a most indifferent manner. play
Aud Lang syne" on the organ In the parlor
Any how. we were out on the porch smoking our
pipes when we got started. Amos thought tia
war friendships were the closest aud lasted tia
longest. HE father had gone Ia tho war from
New York. and along in the fan Of 4G4 had
been killed I'm Virginia. And suppose g vas
that fact that made him 30 :u,l OF pathetic ten.
derness whenever we talked % the veterans.
To illustrate his idea. he said;
Three or fOar years ago went West to visit
an uncle OF mine. intending, n the country
suited me. 10 take up n little land aud move or
there. Bot wasn't suited. aud so came back
While 7 was ont there they held state reunion
OF the veterans. and attended H. The cncamp-
ment was held on n section OF land adjoining
town OF some 5000 inhabitants. ana there must
have been drawn 20 II something like $4,000
people the majority OF whom were old soldiers
and their families. The people lived Ia tents
that wetc pitched in regular military order.
They did their cooking on the ground In the open
air. The affair lasted week The scene was
pleasant one. and the time was most happily
spent. Day and night there was something oc-
curing TO divert and instruct. The days were
by the state militia At night speeches were
made from number of stands in the open ar.
Through il all were many affecting reunions OF
old veterans who were meeting for the first time
since the war Toward the close OF the week
attended reunion OF the New York veterans.
The reunion was 10 be held in a pavilion at one
end or the camp ground. The column was
formed at headquarters 10 march 10 the
meeting place. At its head marched a band.
an 4 following il came the colors and the veier.
ans in line by twos. Nearly every man either
led a child or had his arm tightly clasped by
wife proud of her great honor. The last IN line
was the old white haired colonel badly MANNED
and painfully truGging in the rear. a thing which
several bea- led and gray headed boys SAID Ia
had never done in Virginia. The procession was
not long. and il was anything but military in ap-
pearance. When they arrived at the tent all
filed in a circle was formed around the'old man
and the reunion was commenced by tile adutant
calling off the list of New York regiments. To
some OF the numbers there was no response. To
others one would step out, and TO Others there
would be two or three When this
would occur there would be some happy
faces. and instantly a regimental reunion
would be held. / remember particularly when
the number or one regiment was called that a
tall, heavy man. stepped out promptly:
slant later from the other side OF the circle,
stopped old man slowly walked 10 the center.
The men did not recognize each other. The
older man modestly announced his name. The
tall man looked at him stupidity for instant.
and yelled at the top OF his voice: NY God.
Buys. this is my old captain" He picked him up.
and Rugged him and kissed him. and cried like
a child and the rest OF cried some ourselves.
This meeting the FIRST since the tall
man had carried his loved. fighting captain. of
the field. wounded nigh unto death. back IN the
sixties. Now they were both happy again. They
had both felt poverty and trouble. and bad fought
them as bravely as in the other days. There were
| many such scenes. After this cams the camp
fire, and there was some speaking ana tnen
some one started q song. soon all were
| singing The song was Rally round the Flag
and lie was carried by strong. manly voices. They
sang they did i'm the other days. They were
yoang again and back on the farms in old York
State. The song brought back their youth and
! it's surroundings. The fields, the trees, the
1 brooks and the red-cheeked maidens or those
days were abou them. The song seemed so
1 good that II was repeated 10 give TO the happy
\ hOys the flavor OF the surroundings 10 which
their memories brought them. The days OF tie
| call 10 arms came back. The DAYS or the enlist
ment. the MUSTER the drill were lived over again.
A blue uniform musket and a fag 20 fight for
| how pleasant the thrill And then came tie
| parting from the old folks and the younger
! brothers and sisters, and the fearful goOd-bycs
| spoken over and over again at the Deichbofs
| gate. These youth-renewed OlG men were again
back in 81, ralIying around the cid flag, aud IL
| seemed rs IL they never could get through with
| the precious old song.
| ..Then some one started Marching through
| Georgia. The effect could he Instantly noticed
| The voices were stronger, the heads were lifted.
| the shoulders more erect. 10 was another band
| now singing. Ii was the tried. drilled. stern,
| victorious soldier who Row sung. and iie sang
| this song over and over again. He was once
| more in the midst OF the terrible war. His was
| the steaCy tread Of the veteran lie was again
| in the fignt. The glory and the horror OF X al
| came hack-again the weary marches ana
the battles: again the flushed and victorious
troops were marching through Southern planta-
tons and hoisting the old iiag on Southern court
| houses
And thus they sung of tho battle and the VIC
tory until. almost imperceptibly. the voices were
| lowered and the glad battle song was changed
TO tho sweetly tuned 'rentinC ON the Old Camp
Ground and this song was carried along Win
| weaker voices 1t was sung as the tender ihenl-
cries OF the old days came back sung IS pa
thetic thoughts Hooded the minds and tears came
| tn the ewes, and the Threats were husky. Glory
had faded away. and now il was the memory OF
| the terminate and childhood friend who hao
| slept so long under the sunny Southern Skies.
The faded faces in the old albums were again
with them. All those days or anguish
| and leirtDreak came back, and tie song
came softer as the thoughts fingered OF the des-
olation. OF the deaths hy famine, and the prison.
/ And the song was Very low as tho memory OF
| the gentle. lOvin Lincoln filled them and ne
sorrow OF IL all came back. and then tie fathers
| and mothers ceased, ana tneYerses were hulshVu
by the children.
| From NV observations and that visit ana
| those scenes" said Amos, 81 believe OF ai
| friendships, the ones that were horn I'D me VIZ
| are the most lasting" EDWARD r. WHITE.
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