Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-04-09
SHILOH BETTLEFIELD.
The Anniversary of that His
toric Battle Properly Hon
ored by the Heroes or
the Blue and Gray.
APRIL 8.

en- the bond of love and friend
ship that should forever bind the
North and South into an everlas-
ting nation.
The regular exercises opend for
the day at the grand stand in the
Cemetery, at 2:3O p. M, with mu-
sic by the Savannah and Adams.
vile C0rnet Bands combined.
Col. r.. +. Looney, of Memphis,
Vice President of tho Association
and one of the Shiloh National
Commissioners, presided in the
absence of the President, John A
McClernand. DR.. Msltin of Jack
son, offered prayer, invoking the
blessings of God Oh the audience.
Col. Looney delivered the adj
dress of welcome, and among 9th
er things said, "Thirty.five ye ars
ago we met as enemies, today,
thank God, we meet as friends, and
in behalf of the Shiloh Battlefield
Association, and, l may add, the
Shiloh Commission, it becomes
my duty, as it is my pleasure, to
extend to those whs wore the Blue
and those who wore the Gray, a
warm and cordial welcome to this
spot that your valor has made his
toric. On the 9th of April, 1852,
the sun rose in undaunted
splendor, the morning was bright
and beautiful, the waters of the
Tennessee went murmuring peace
fully toward their ocean home. The
birds were singingin the trees, the
forests were putting forth their
young leaves, the wild flowers
were blossoming into beauty; and
all nature was preparing to CARL
and itself with the beauties and
glories of summer, when suddenly
in moment, in the twinkling OF
an eye, the very ground on which
you stand, was shaken with the
shock of battle. Soon the field
was strewn with the dead and dy.
ing. Charges and counter charges
were the order of the day, uutil it
became a perfect carnival OF death.
But brave men who have looked
into the red eye of battle, are al
ways ready to shake hands and be
friends when the strife is over"
lie paid q beautiful tribute to
the memory of Albert Sidney
Johnston, who was wounded and
died on the battlefield, saying, "He
was as gentle as a woman in peace,
but as grand in battle as Napo-
leon at the bridge of Lodi"
Capt. L. 7. Headly, seer etary of
the association, followed with a
response; spoke pathetically of
Gen. McClernand, of his age and
infirmities. He paid a tribute to
the soldiers of both armies and
added that it would have been no
credit to the Federal soldiers to
have whipped the Confederates if
they had been as easily whipped
as their side thought they could
be before having tried them.
Continuing he said: "Out of
that confict,we hammered out the
best and strongest nation in the
world. The battle of Shiloh was
fought by Americans and before
the days of the conscript officer
or the bounty grabber."
Capt. Headly was followed by
music, after which, DIR. W. A.
Smith, private in Bates I'd Ten
nessee Regiment Of Infantry, Clei-
burns Brigade, Hardee's Corps,
and President Of the Columbia,
Tenn, Athaneum, was then intro
duced and entertained the audi
ence for 40 minutes.
AS we can only give brief parts
of DR.. Smiths speech, we quote
a few sections. "The true soldier
is the highest and most perfect
type Of manhood; in war he is as
brave a lion, and in peace as gen.
tie as a dove. After the war is
over he believes in making truth
a part of history. A rebel did not
come here to the reunion a few
years ago, because he feared the
truth would not be told. about
the battle. But now both sides
will be heard,and when the flint of
facts strikes the steel of argument,
the fire of truth will result.
aOld soldiers here fought for