The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-16
A BIG GATHERING.
Col. ziese Anticipates Successful
Reunion OF
THE ARMY OF WEST VIRGINIA
Al CoIumbus-caIls Attention to the Gem
sral Misunderstanding Regarding the
Makeup OF the OgganI1atIon-At the
Coming Reunion a New Roll OF Menu
bershIp win bp ComplIsd-EGortS to
Have all Survivors join the Society,


Colonel p. p. zlese, of AIlddleport, O.,
secretary and treasurer OF the Society OF
the Army of West Virginia, is in Column
bus looking after the interests OF the an
nHai reunion, which Is billed for that
city on September S, . and 10, Colonel
zlese will remain until the event is sue
cessfully concluded, and from the active
manner Of his pushing the work of ar
rangement so far, 1t is safe to presume
that there viii be no fault chargeable to
him II the occasion should by any posi-
blllty fall short OF the general expeeta-
tIon, says the Columbus Journal. The
complete success OF the movement Is Just
now the one aim of the rugged veteran,
and his earnestness Is proving infective
with the members OF the local committee
so far as associated with him In the de-
tails Of the general preparation, Moth
Ing is 10 be spared that would add TO the
success OF the event, and all visiting
members of the society Will be given
every evidence of genuine welcoming
hospitality and complete freedom of the
city.
Colonel Ziese IS enthusiastic at the
prospects of the coming reunion, as well
as the future Of the organization Speak
Ing in this line, be said;
although have been a member OF the
society for many years, have never UNI
I'll my selection as secretary Of the body
given 1t any particular attention, though
regularly attending the reunions, Now,
however, / find a peculiar pleasure in
losing no opportunity to further the
mutual interests OF the members and to
keep the organization healthy and intact,
The Society Of the Army of West Nir-
glnia is generally mlsconstrued to mean
the army of West Virginia proper, upon
the same associated plane as other dis
trlct armies, such as that OF the Poto-
mac, the Tennessee, or the Cumberland,
There was never, In fact, any specially
recognized department made by the war
Office Of the soldiery of West Virginia
so our eociety in measure is guilty OF
creating false impression. Our mem
hers are composed Of men who at some
period Of the late war did service upon
the soil of West Virginia, 1t making no
difference aa IL point of eligibility,
whether they were from the Mountain
state, Ohio, Kentucky or any other The
niNltlg was EhlllAtAl Abilt lNtHNN -bIlt
years ago at Wheeling, with General
Kelly, originally OF the First regiment
Of West Virginia Infantry, as president.
Kelly entered the war as colonel of the
First West Virginia, and In the first real
conflict on West Virginia soil at Phil
llppl, was wounded through the right
breast, being the first officer wounded In
the war General Kelly served as presI.
h, Ia tB
been General Crook, eX-Prcsldent Hayes
and the present executive, General
Powell.
I'm the main our reunions have been
confined to the smaller towns of the Ohio
valley, but we have always been hand-
capped to no small extent by the rail-
roads. The best rate we have found pos
slble of securing has been one rate for
the round trip, while one and one-thlrd
fare has been the usual run Even at
these figures and tn the smallest OF the
valley towns we have commanded an at
tendance Of from 5000 to 1900 With n
rate Of one cent n mile to Columbus we
should be able to bring 10000 visitors to
the city. II is not at all improbable that
many of our future encampments will be
held at this point We have no accurate
'f'NANAA'NN VI Wv l'A'''Ablt mp vi
the society, as the former secretary left
no record whatever Of the progress OF the
organization in recent years and at the
coming meeting we hope to secure an en-
tire new enrolment, which Will be in a
measure accurate and satisfactory. It
has been the plan of the society to col
lect one dollar a year from each member
as treasury fund to meet the incidental
expenses Of the association. There were
at the close Of the war probably $4,000
men eligible to membership, but OF lata
years deaths have been frequent and 1t is
really impossible of estimating just now
how many yet remain. We hope by
earnest cooperation Of the membership
to include all the known survivors Of the
old days and one OF the most important
features of the coming reunion win be
the revival Of the spirit of universal In
terest and fellow feeling"