The Coconino weekly sun., 1896-09-03
Survivors of the Twenty-third Ohio Regiment Journey in .
 Body to Canton.
M'KINLEY AND HIS COMRADES.
The Major Makes Speech Which Rouses the Old Soldiers to
 Enthusiasm.

comrades in war called at his home on August 12. They came from Cleveland principally. but many of tEem from dis tant points. They were survivors of the Twcnty-thiTd Ohio Volunteer infantry. The regiment was famed for it's war | record, the number of it's hard-fought ! battles, including South Mountain, An tietam and Gen. Sheridan's many bat ties in the Shenandoah valley in '64; for the number of its killed and wounded, and also for it's 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- sponded to the eloquent greeting given Willoughby. The old soldiers cheered and the old flag waved with every burst of applause. Capt. Ellen told of Will liam Mckinley as private soldier, say ing in part:
 Comradc: We have assembled here today from all parts of the union and from many vacations in life to cOngratu- late you, our comrade in arms, on your nomination as candidate for the Presi- dent of the United States. l remember that Go. E had oxe member, very youth fiil 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 be en- rolled as private. that the officer with out furth ar hesitation administered the oath and William Mckinley, Jr., at the age of IT, was made full-hedged pri- vate soldier in the Union army. Great applause and three cheers for McKin- leyD
 Then away to the hills and mountains of West Virginia, where we fought and skirn:sEed the summer away, meeting and defeating Confederate Gen. Floyd at Ca,.infaN Ferry, September 10. 1861. In recognition of your bravery, ef ficienty and fidelity to duty, you were. in April. 1862, appointed to the commis. stoned staff commissary sergeant. Those of us present whom you then served are ready o bear testimony to the very markei improvement and regularity of sc--T7ice in this one branch of military life. If from any cause the coming of tions were short, "Mack" did the next best thing and made a requisition on the country round about. At a 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 to 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 Slori- ous banner you now carry with our old love and loyalty, and declare with you that ''the money of our country must be as sound as the Union and as nntar- faith in the virtue, intelligence, honor and discriminating judgment of the American people, we again congratulate you and bid you GOdspeed. (Great ap- plause and cheering.)
 Happy Reply of Mir. Mckinley.
 When a storm of applause had sub- sided Maj. Mckinley responded:
 Capt. Ellen and My Comrades "f the Twenty third Ohio: This call of the sur viving members of the old regiment with which l served for more than four years at my home is most gracious act on their part, and brings to me peculiar and tnI tpnn flsNyN this little body of men assembled about me, and remember that this is but the remnant of the old Twenty-tbird that, thirty-five 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 22O0, that here is gathered possibly less than 100. and that is one-fourth of the surviving men- bers of our glorious old regiment. 1 am vividly 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 Jf the water. But wherever they are, and in whatever vocation they may be engaged, they all love the old regimental organiza, tion which is the proudest thing to them on earth. [Applause.l
 We had great regiment; great in it's field officers; great in the character of the rank and file that constituted it. Our hearts go out with tenderness and love, am sure, to the first colonel of our regiment. Gen. William s. Rosecrdns. to his distant home in California. tGreat applause.l
 We all remember his splendid disci- pline and gentle qualities. and we remam. Der 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 dier, Gen. E. r. Scammon-[ch [cheersl- not the most popular man in the 1egi- ment in its earlier days, for we thought his discipline very severe and his drill very hard, but after the battle of South Mountain, Gen. Scammon was the most popular man in the regiment. [Great ap- plause.l We knew then for the first time what his discipline meant and what strength it 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 E. Hayes. [Great. cheering.l He was beloved by every man of the regiment, and no braver colonel ever led his soldiers to battle. Nor Stan ley Matthews, the first utenant-coloneI oe xkx fhn