Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-24
18th MAINE BAT Terry
Holds Its Fifteenth Annual
Reunion in This City.
ulcers Elected, Old Days Talked
Over, and Good lime Enjoyed.
inc Full Particulars Of The Most Successful
Session Ever Held.

hall. in this city, and once again have
the SURVIVORS of that grand old body
gathered together to elect their Of
i1cers talk ever old-times, and to per
petuate the feelings of brotherly love
that had birth in their hearts when they
fought side by side in the dark DAYS of
the Rebellion.
There is something always to be no.
ticed in Grand Army gatherings, and
cred title of "comrade, and wish that
can noe be described as mere friend
ship but is more akin to love, and few
there are who. as they watch the fer
vent grasp of hands and joyful glance
OF the eye as these veterans greet one
another, can suppress a feeling of envy
that they, too. cannot bear the hon
ored title of ''comrade," and wish that
all mankind could feel toward each
other as do these men OF the Grand
Army.
In point of weather, nothing better
could be desired. 1t was nothing more
than was to be expected. however, for
the fth Maine always has good weather.
During the past fifteen years since their
organization there has been but one re-
union upon which the sun did not
shine.
The attendance was not as large as
on some previous occasions. there being
thiityfive members present. There are
in all ITO members of the organization,
but they are scattered over the cour-
try, from Maine to California. Doubt
less many mere would have been in al
tendance had not the lateness of the
spring planting prevented.
The forenoon meeting was called to
order at 11.2o o'clock by the president,
Ethel II. Jones. and was followed by
roll call. A committee of three to select
officers for the ensuing year, was ap
pointed by the chair as follows: Abel
i)dNlS ol IitlStlslti, y. -. i'siiisss Va -
gusta and F. C. Foss of Mt Vernon.
The chair also appointed the follow
ing committee on resolutions: F. N.
Mills of Skowhegan, Judson Ames of
Montreal Canada, and Lester Holway
of Fairfield.
Treasurer +. NJ. Mills presented his
report for the past year as follows:
Received from Comrade Crymbell, m =
treasurer, 1896. ~. %
Expended as per bills ................-.. 21-ll
Balance on hand. .sl2.ti
The report was accepted, and Presi-
dent Jones, with a few well chosen
words. introduced to the company, Hon.
w. S. Choate, who in his usual grace
full manner, delivered the following ad-
dress of welcome:
Veterans of the Fourth Maine Battery:
| esteem it an honor and 1t certainly Is
a great personal pleasure TO welcome you
nm hehalf of the citizens of Augusta 10
olr city. | cordially welcome you as lei-
low citizens, as soldiers of the repuDic
and as veterans OF war Whlcn was IA
its magnitude and its results Sreasei
than any other OF the iast ceheui ,.
Nearly a century and a quarter ago our
forefathers in that magnificent epltoihe
of the rights of man. the declaration OF
Independence, proclaimed 10 the "oiio,
their faith in certain great prlhclpiss VI
human existence. they sald thae !. Wa
..self evident" that ''all men are greater
equal that they are endowed by tnelr Gre
afor with certain unalienapie rights'
thai among these are life, Liberty ana me
pursuit Of happiness, yet IN lace OF liii7
SO called self evident truth, lol VIZ na
nigh d century slavery existed IN our ma
ZION. and not only existed but was pro
tected bv the law of the land ana peihs
protected ii grew and threateneu 70 ny ~
its way into what had been lrec 5 9ei
could not long exist and the agitation o.
tbe slavery question eliminated III w
GREAT war in which yon TOOK coil2pA'
nous part History does not feSoru ~, u
more unselfsh struggle nor can me- W
faund on all human actions hlsner t''iu
49, nohle sacrifice Our forefathers IN
tbeir great struggle for lhuepehoenee
fanpht for their own liberty, .hei. ." II
homes their own rightS-you louei' ~ ~
for your own liberty, Tor yeui .ne,, ware
moi for your own homes, LOT tiiey e..
~ invaded. not for your own rights ioi
.bev were not trampled upon out so ~
Taught for a downtrocdeh anu oP. - III
ace that they might ENJOY nc sa an, ~
erty we had pf0cidlIiieu ~ -, fouob +
aiienable right of all meh-soa i,,5,,ad
that liberty should De p ~ r. in
thrauqbo,rt the land and unto an III -,
Ia h;tants thereof. that our itas ~ and
"a ,.t ,iaat over the land OF the iree go go
l,,ia shelter beneath its loios oii' ~
49,, Tn6ay. a generation after ,,,.
Ill., ,,r,Iorle has ended, you see w,
So and sacrifices justiiled anu ap,A''t ~.
"a az Nv your fellow citizens ana ~ ,ha :
ca ~ ,uor11 1t has been sald we
Whoio Ia,,e hath no man than TINS tii' :,
srs Low down his life for ms irleiu9 ~,
| man - - ,,,,,sf be a more noble ana si9 ~
surei' .,,i,g that a man lay DOWN MS -
Ilous freedom not of his iriehus, ~
LOT ~ ~. If n people enslaved-a peop ~
TOT 10 st generations had known liot
W VINO to Of liberty and VINO put loi III
| pie3.r1ia and for your sacrlilces T'ond-
| strusste 40. airing the letters of the poiiu-
men. -, ,,,eet in friendly con-
| Toeas ,,,+ memories will come crow
verse, ~ s, na Won, how again ana asaln
lhS Iii recall those cohhi.eS ,, ~
you VIII VIII, y, Antietam, in the WllderlesS
MoulitasLa,,.., Petersburg where you SOU Sou
and pelofo with death, glorious recol.
| face 10 e duty we'll done, OF vlcto..
iec,io ,,.on proudly may you lseou ',.,,liy
wen nj those struggles anu
| Store, say. | fought theie' .,.o nc.
| may ,Iaa si,res you have IN 'ns ,,r
| the pa,,,,ot now be unmlxea WIN 80
| unio'ssa ~ a year by year YOU M. ali cal
| row. ~ does not answer YOU - ahsnni
comrade o4 ee ,,,iliar face will be apsen
| and so ile YOU; and even now n i.,
from ahlpn5 roll beyond the great livsi