The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1896-09-05
TALKED TO VETERANS.
Survivors Of the Twenty-third
Ohio Regiment Journey in q
Body to Canton.
M'KlNLEy AND HIS COMRADES.
The Major Makes Speech Which
Rouses the Old Soldiers to
Enthusiasm.

Two hunureu OF MAJ. Mchlnlcys old
comrades in war called ut his home on
August II. They came from Cleveland
| principally, but many of them from dis
tant points. They were survivors of the
| Twcnty-third Ohio Volunteer infantry.
| The regiment was famed for it's war
record. the number of its hard-fought
| battles, including South Mountain, An
| tietam and Gen. Sheridan's many bat
ties 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 :. Rosccrans of San Fran
cisco and Gen. Russell Hastings of the
| Bermuda islands.
The scene today was touching one.
| Mrs. Mckinley sat in the hallway near
| the porch, from which the major re-
| sponded to the eloquent greeting given
| him by Capt. John =. Ellen, mayor of
Willoughby. The old soldiers cheered
Of applause. Capt. Ellen told of Will
liam Mckinley as Il private soldier, say
ing in parts
Comrade: We have assembled here
today from all parts of the union and
from many vocations in life to congratu-
late you, our comrade III arms, ON your
nomination as candidate for the Presi-
dent Of the United States. l remember
that Co Il had ono member, very youth
full in appearance, so much so that Capt.
Robinson of the Fifth infantry made
some inquiry as to age and consent OF
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
oath and William Mckinley, .Jr.. ut the
age of II. was made II full-flcdged pri-
vatc soldier in the Union army. Great
applause and three cheers for McKin-
ley)
Then away to the hills and mountains
of West Virginia. where wesfought and
skirmished the summer away, meeting
and defeating Confederate Gen. Floyd
ut Carinfax Ferry. September 10. 1861.
In recognition of your bravery, eff
ticiency and fidelity to duty. you were,
in April 1862. appointed to the commits
stoned staff commissary 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-
| tions were short. "Mack" did the next
| best thing and made n requisition on the
country round about. At later day
your gallantry and fidelity secured your
! 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 70 shoulder in the defense of
| our country. SO now with willing hands
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 private soldier in the great
army which was contending for national
life and national union. Today you are
the chosen leader. not of mere party,
but of the people. contending for law
and order, national honor and the in
volatility of the public faith. Your
old comrades are with you now as then.
We stand shoulder to shoulder now as
then. We rally about you and the glori-
Gus banner you now carry with our old
love and loyalty. and declare with you
that "thc money of our country must be
as sound rs the Union and as unfair
nished as its flag" With an abiding
faith in the virtue, intelligence. honor
American people. we again congratulate
YOU and bid you Godspccd. Great APP
plausc and cheering.)
Happy Reply of MIR. Mckinley.
When storm of applause had sub
sided Maj. Mckinley Responded:
Capt. Ellen and My Comrades "f the
Twenty-third Ohio: This call of the SUR
yiving members of the old regiment with
which l served for more than four years
ut my home is Il most gracious act on
their part, and brings to me peculiar and
special qualification. AS r look upon
this little body of men assembled about
me, and remember that this Is but the
remnant of the old Twentythird that.
thirty-fve years ago. had 1910 sturdy
young men on its roll ready for duty,
and that it was twice recruited to the
total number of nearly 300, that here
is gathered possibly less than 100. and
, that is one-fourth Of the surviving mem
bers of our glorious old regiment, i am
wildly reminded how rapidly the years
are passing. and with them are passing
our old associates of the war. The sur
vivors are scattered through twenty
four states of the union. Some IF our
members are in the territories. One of
them resides on the other side If the
water. But wherever they are, and in
whatever vocation they may be engaged,
they all love the old regimental organlza-
ton which IL the proudest thing to them
on earth. Applause.
We had u great regiment: great IN its
field officers: great in the character of
the rank and file that constituted II.
Our hearts go out with tenderness, and
love, am sure, to the first colonel of our
regiment. Gen. William s. RosccrLns,
to his distant home in California. IGreat
applause.
We all remember his splendid disci-
plne and gentle qualities, and we remam
her with what pride we marched under
his command in West Virginia in 1861.
Tribute to scammon.
And we remember, too, that ether
regular army officer, that splendid SOL
der, Gen. +. T.. Scammon-[cheersl-
not the most popular man in the iegi-
ment in it's earlier days, for we thought
his discipline very severe and his drill
very hard, hut after the battle of South
Mountain. Gen. Scammon was the most
popular man in the regiment. lGreat APP
plause.l We knew then for the first
time what his discipline meant and what
strength il gave to us on the battlefield.
Nor can we assemble here as we have
today without recalling the third colonel
of the Twenty third Ohio, who was long
est with us, Rutherford b. Hayes. IGreat
cheering.l He was beloved by every man
of the regiment, and no Drawer colonel
ever led his soldiers TO battle. Nor Stan
ley Matthews. the first lieutenant colonel
of the regiment-the great soldier and
lawyer. IApplause.] Nor can we forget
| oil