Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-11-04

o.; The Enlisted Man, Maj. Mellow
~ of Joliet, H. The speeches were
interspersed with singing by Prof.
Protheroe, songs by soldiers and
choruses by the entire assembly.
At the business session during the
day Toledo was chosen as the next
place of meeting and Gen. John c.
Black of Chicago was selected as the
annual orator with William H. Heff-
ron of Iowa, as alternate.
The officers were unanimously re-
elected as follows: President, Gen.
G. M. Dodge; corresponding secretary,
Gen. A. HickenloOper; recording sec
rotary Col. Cornelius Cadle; treasur-
er, Gen. M. f. Force; vice presidents,
Col. j. Bell, Ohio; Mai. William
Warner, Kansas City, Mo-; Col. b.
T. Wright, Illinois; Capt. John Crane,
New, York; Gen. l.. f. Hubbard,
Minnesota; Gen. G. H. Frederick, Ne
braska Capt. o. G. Lademan, Wis
consin; Andrew A. Blair, Pennsyl-
vania; Maj. Charles Christensen, Cal
ifornia Col. J. w. McMurray. Flori-
da; Lieut. j. r. Dunlap, Indiana; Capt.
NJ. E. Highly, Iowa.
Gen. Dodge expressed his thanks for
the honor in simple speech, saying:
Comrades, | thank you for this hon
or, and will endeavor to execute my
duties to the best of my ability"
Tribute was then rendered to Mother
Bickerdyke, as the head nurse of the
Army of the Tennessee is affection
ately termed, by Capt. Magde5urg. A
detailed account was given of the
manner in which her S0th birthday
was celebrated at her home in Bunker
Hill, Kan, July 10, 1897 which the
Grand Army posts of Kansas officially
designated Mother Bickerdyke day,
being celebrated by all Grand Army
posts in Kansas. Fully 1000 persons
gathered at the venerable nurses
home, and an elaborate program was
carried out. By a rousing vote it was
decided to send to Mother Dickerdyke
the congratulations of the Society of
the Army of the Tennessee, and the
expression of the hope of a long life
to the old lady Her photograph was
passed through the hall, and the eyes
of the old veterans dimmed, and husky
tones blessed the motheriy face OF
their old nurse. Gen. Dodge spoke
with feeling OF Mother Bickerdyke and
told of the time when she crawled into
a freight car to bring him food while
he was on his way from Chattanooga
to Nashville.
The reading of score Of kilograms
and letters from distinguished mem
bers of the society and others held in
high favor by the Army of the Ten
pessee followed.
Hearty applause was accorded the
communications of Gen. Alger, Mrs.
Logan, Mrs. Grant and others and
when a telegram from d. d. Hender-
son of Dubuque, Ia, in which the old
soldier told his comrades that his
wounds would not allow him to take
tte journey, but that while his leg
had become shorter, his love for his
comrades had grown longer, and
stronger, was read by Secretary Hick
enlooper, memories of the war were
recalled by a hearty cheer.
Gen. Alger expressed the regrets of
President Mckinley that official duties
prevented his participation in the
meeting and stated that he himself
had fully expected to attend the meet
ing, but the pressure of official duties
kept him at Washington.
Mrs. George A. Logan sent an in
teresting communication which visibly
touched the heartstrings of the vet
Grams. The widow of the famous
soldier expressed her sorrow in being
unable to visit Milwaukee, as she
feared that it might be her last oppor-
runity TO meet again with the men
who had fought so nobly under her
husband and who had made the Army
of the Tennessee the grandest of he
war.
A telegram from Gen. w. T. Clarke
of Omaha, Neb, Gen. McPherson's ad-
Jutant during the war, aroused the
greatest enthusiasm, and Secretary
Hickenlooper was instructed to for
ward the respect and best wishes of
the society to Gen. Clarke.
Maj.-Gen. Nelson A Miles also
sent his regrets.
Gen. Dodge announced the commit
tee ON Gen. H. j. Mowers statue, to
be erected at Arlington Military park