The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-28
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE
TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL REUNION OF
A SOCIETY OF WARRIORS.
Eloquent Grafton by Rev. Thomas Ew-
ing Sherman-TroubIe in the
Army and Navy Union.

MILWAUKEE,, Oct 27.-The twenty
ninth meeting of the Army OF the Tennes-
see convened in Milwaukee to-day in the
hall of Walcott Post, G. A. r., in the Acad-
envy Of Music building. Over two hundred
members are in attendance, prominent
among whom are General G. NJ. Dodge,
president OF the society; General Wagner
Swayne, P. T. Sherman, Col. F. d. Grant,
Gen. George Ruggles. Major Fl. L. Swords,
Captain John Crane, Colonel Horatio l.
King and others. Gen. G. NJ. Dodge called
the meeting to order at 1890 and welcomed
the members TO the Northwest in a brief
speech. Secretary Hickenlooper, of Cincin-
natl, then made his annual report, show
ing loss in membership in the society of
eleven, caused by death. AS the death roll
was read to the society the gray-haired vet
Grams and the women present rose in body
and remained standing The report of Gen.
F. NJ Force, treasurer, gave the amount of
money in possession Of the society as So
500 in United States bonds and 81, O59S4 in
cash. By unanimous consent a resolution
was passed indorsng the bill now pending
in Congress to establish national military
park to commemorate the campaign siege
and defense of Vicksburg.
The society received a warm welcome at
the hands of the citizens Of Milwaukee at
a public meeting which was held at Plym-
outh Church tonight Mayor William G.
Rauchenberger delivered Milwaulxee's well
come address, and Gen. Grenville M. Dodge
responded on behalf of the society. The
main feature OF the programme, which con-
tanned several musical numbers, was the
annual Grafton of the society," which was
delivered by the Rev. Thomas Ewing Sher-
man. son of Gen. w. Il. Sherman, who
nn cir in rf11Kr 1G
speech, in part is as follows:
TO stand where / stand Tonight, the
see here in the metropolis of royal Re
public chosen to lay an encomium of
praise, garland Of bay on the brow of
this great sister of four and forty States,
bound by the blood of her sons in sacred
seal of eternal union--this is 8 privilege of
which any man might we'll be proud But
in addition to that / have the long-coveted
opportunity of coming face to face with
the men whose deeds of high praise were
reared, to bear a sons testimony to a
fathers loving and enthusiastic apprecia-
ton, to weave together the garlands of
Wtconsin and OF the dear old Army or the
Tennessee-this, gentlemen, raises the pres
ent occasion to one of those where poetry
is justice. bold truth is oratory, because
both are the voice, the expression OF the
patriots right TO a national praise"
He then touched on Wisconsin's position
which preceded the war for the Union.
The speaker reviewed the part Wiscoasin's
soldiers took in the battles of Shiloh, Vicks-
burg, Chickamauga and Sherman's famous
march to the sea, giving a graphic deScrip-
ton of the different encounters and paving
81 glowing tribute TO the gallantry of Wis
conSinS sons who fought for the Union
cause in the armies of the Tennessee, Ohio
and Cumberland. What was said of Wis
consins valor in these four battles may be
repeated" he said, with reference to the
three hundred or more engagements of the
civil war, in nearly all of which Wisconsin
participated with marked renoWn. Nor need
we feel surprised that Grant and Sherman
loved so warmly the Army of the TenneS-
see. An army so brilliant in execution, so
and desire of their chief. An army that
needed no red tape, because all were in
touch all had one mind and heart; the MIND
and heart of q gallant MACPHERSON, whose
corps, divisions, brigades, regiments are as
the joints of the fingers of one hand, then
never lose. Grant and Sherman learned so
to WELD them, so to trust them. And how
they have loved and trusted in return.
The Rev. Sherman eulogjZed the women
of Wisconsin, who contributed TO the Union
cause by patient care and tender nursing,
ways He closed with a reference TO the
number of men Wisconsin gave to the
arIny--90 900 out of $780, 900, or one in nine TO
our army. You neryed the arm and steeled
the hearts of men as great as Lincoln,
Grant and Sherman" concluded the speak,
on the crest OF the Nations greatness and
we hail you as the Sparta of the West"
The members of the society were enter
tanned this afternoon with a carriage drive
about the city. President Mckinley and
Gen Russell A. -Alger, who had been in
Omaha will probably be selected as the
next meeting place.