The Dickinson press., 1896-09-05
TO VETERANS.
Survivors Of the Twenty-third
Ohio Regiment Journey ina
Body to Canton.
m':x,!!NLEY AND HIS COMRADES.
TIE Major Makes a Speech Which
9ouses the Old Soldiers to
Enthusiasm.

Two hundred of Maj. McKinlcy's old
c0nindes in war called at his home on
August 12. They came from Cleveland
principally. but many of them from dis
ta:;.: points. They were survivors of the
Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer infantry.
Tie regiment was famed for it's war
record, the number of its hard-foGght
battles, including South Mountain. An
tietam and Gen. Sheridan's many bat
tle+' in the Shenandoah valley in "a; for
the number of its killed and wounded,
and also for its great men noted in
war and civil life.
. OF the field officers only two survive
Gen. William s. Rosecrans of San Fran
cisco and Gen. Russell Hastings of the
Bermuda islands.
The scene today was a touching one.
Mrs. Mckinley sat in the hallway near
the porch. from which the major. re-
him by Capt. John $. Ellen, mayor of
Willoughby. The old soldiers cheered
ard the old flag waved with every burst
Of applause. Capt. Ellen told Of Will
liam Mckinley as private soldier, say
ing in part:
today from all parts of the union and
from many vocations in life to congratu-
late You, our comrade in arms. on your
nomination as Il candidate for the Presi-
dent of the United States. l remember
that Co. Il had one member, very youth
fGl IN appearance, so much so that Capt.
Robinson of the Fifth infantry made
parents.
Eager for the Fray.
The answers Of the recruit were so
prompt and SO decisive and his desire
so very modest, and asking to he en-
rolled as private, that the officer with
out further hesitation administered the
Ogth and William Mckinley. Jr.. at the
age of ~, was made a full-fledgcd pri-
wAte soldier in the Union army. Great
applause and three cheers for Mckin-
Then away to tho hills and mountains
Of West Virginia, where we fought and
skirmished the summer away, meeting
and defeating Confederate Gen. Floyd
at CarinfaX Ferry. September TO- 1861.
In recognition of your bravery, cf-
fciency and fidelity. to duty, you were,
in April, 1862, appointed to the commits
stoned staff commissnry sergeant. Those
OF us present whom you then served are
ready to bear testimony to the very
marked improvement and regularity of
service in this one branch of military
life. If from any cause the coming Of
the supply trains were delayed and ra-
tons were short. "Mack" did the next
best thing and made IL rcquisition OH the
country round about. At a later day
promotion and assignment to duty on
the general staff. But whatever the dis.
tinction or disparity in rank you always
retained close touch with the boys who
were your first associates in army life.
IN conclusion let me say that the spirit
Of 1861 is not dormant; that, as we went
shoulder to shoulder in the defense OF
and united voices we stand for our coun.
try's honor and for our country's flag
Thirty-five years ago you stood with your
comrades as a private soldier in the great
army which was contcnding for national
life and national union. Today you arc
the chosen lender, not Of mere. party
but of the people, contending, for Law
volatility of the public faith. Your
old comrades are with you now as then
We stand shoulder to shoulder now as
Thea. We rally about you and the glori
GUS banner you now carry with our OLE
love and loyalty, and declare with vol
that ''the money of our country must bt
as sound as the Union and as untar
faith in the virtue, intelligence, honol
and discriminating judgment of tht
American people. we again congratulate
you and bid you Godspecd. Great up
plause and cheering.)
Happy Reply of Mr.. Mckinley.
When a storm of applause had sub
Capt. Ellen and My Comrades If th'
Twenty-third Ohio: This call of the sur
yiving members of the old regiment will
which l served for more than four year
at my home is most gracious act OF
their part. and brings to me peculiar ant
special qualification. AS l look upol
this little body of men assembled abou
remnant of the old Twenty-third that
thirty-five years ago, had 1910 sturd.
young men on its roll ready for duty
and that it was twice ,recruited to th
total number of nearly 22OO, that her
il gathered possibly less than 100. ant
bers of our glorious old regiment, l an
vividiy reminded how rapidly the year,
are passing, and with them are plssin,
our old associates of the war. The sur
vivors are scattered through twenty
four states of the union. Some rf on
members are in the territories. One o.
them resides on the other side If -th'
water. But wherever they are, and il
whatever vocation they may be engaged
they all love the old regimental OrganiZa
ton which is the proudcst thing to then
OH earth. Applause.
L We had a great regiment; great in 1t!
field officers; great in the character O
the rank and file that constituted it
Our hearts go out with tenderness ani
love, am sure, to the first colonel of Oul
regiment, Gen. William S. Rosecrans
to his distant home in California. IGrea
We ali remember his splendid tlisci
plne and gentle qualities, and we rem2m
Der with what pride we marched under
his command in West Virginia in 1861.
Tribute to scalnmon.
And we remember, too, that cthe
regular army officer, that splendid sol
dier. Gen. +. p. -[cheers1-
not the most popular man in the 1egi
ment in it's earlier days, for we though
his discipline very severe and his drill
very hard, but after the battle of Soutl
Mountain, Gen. Scammon was the mos
SoDular man in the regiment. [Great an
plause.l We knew then for the frs
time what his discipline meant and wha
strength it gave to US on the battlefield
Nor can we assemble here as we hav,
Of the Twcnty-third Ohio, who was long
est with us, Rutherford B. Hayes. [Grea
chcering.] He was beloved by every maj
of the regiment, and no braver colone
ever led his soldiers to battle. Nor Stan
ley Matthews, the first lieutenant -colone
of the regiment-the great soldier ant
lawyer. [Applause.] Nor can we forge
Comley, glorious old Comley. [Cheer
and cries of "Nor Mrs. Hayes" No
Mrs. Hayes, the faithful friend of tn
regiment; and we have with us today