Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-05-31
AT G. A. r.. HALL.
A Large Attendance to Listen to the Pro-
gramme and the Address.

A Large Attendance to Listen to the Pro-
gramme and the Address.
The hall was crowded last evening,
despite the very disagreeable weather,
with veterans, members Of the Sons Of
Veterans, ladies OF the Relief Corps and
Aid Society, and with the wives Of the
soldiers, TO listen to the programme ar
ranged for, and TO hear the address OF
Rev Peschau. The literary and must
cal portion of the programme was very
interesting, and was uniformly well
rendered, while Rev. Peschau's address
was very able effort, and was warmly
received.
Among other things, Rev. Peschau
said:
at was the greatest war OF modern
times. its fields OF operations meas
ured almost a continent in territory,
eight hundred millions OF treasure-the
peoples toil-but paid its living, NOV
ing needs. Its dead and dying reached
100000 men, and it permanently dis
abled and destroyed the health Of over
200, 600 more. IL covered q land with
widows and orphans. 1t beget suffer
ing never to be estimated, and priva-
tions countless. 1t exhibited bravery
unparalleled, courage and endurance
unsurpassed. It's leadership was mag
nificent; it's soldierY heroic.
THE contending armies covered
bodies OF men IN action and battle, in
suffering and slaughter, in camp and
hospital, almost beyond human concep-
tion or understanding. The Union
forces enrolled during the four years
numbered 2,772. 4OS men, or about ., 700
regiments. The Confederate armies,
from the best attanable sources, are
estimated at 100000 for the period OF
the war, or 200 regiments-less than
half as many. The military popu-
lation of the States on the Union
side was 4,559,S72, and In the eleven
States OF the Confederacy, l,064, 1873
OF Union soldiers, there died upon the
field OF battle. or died OF wounds, 10000
men; there died of disease 1919, 720-a
total mortality Of 800, 790 There were
275.I15 others wounded, but not NOR
tally. or the Confederate soldiers, 155,
297 were killed and MORALLY wounded.
Besides these acts, which illustrate the
horrors of the war, there are a number
of other interesting items, which l beg
your permission also to recite here.
The Union army embraced volun-
teers from every condition Of our Indus
trial life, but the grand measure Of OBJ
legation belongs to the people who, in
every contest for freedom have ever
been foremost-the agricultural. For
weight per cent were farmers, TWEEN
ty-four per cent. mechanics, sixteen per
cent. laborers, five per cent. from COM
mercial pursuits, three per cent. pro-
fessional men, and four per cent. mis-
csllaneous. NatonslitieS formed dis
tinctive feature. The great body Of
foreigners, who, from the days Of our
Revolution, have done so much to de-
velop our industries and add TO our
wealth. strength and vigor as
people, responded quickly
TO the call for troops, and
fought bravely through the long war.
Three-fourths OF the army were native
Americans. or the 500, 900 soldiers of
foreign birth, Germany furnished IT'S,
600; ireland, 10000; England, $4,000;
British America, $4,000; other countries,
-. 600. The enlistments Of black
troops also reached the large number of
I7S,475, suffering mortality OF SO,
There were one hundred and twelve
battles in which one side or the other
lost over 500 men killed and wounded,
and In all there were 1852 general co.
gagements, skirnishes or affairs, in
which az least one regiment was en-
gagged. Every State in the United
States and every Territory sent Volun-
teers TO the Union army.
eSucb.- briefly, were theRhysieakand