The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-10-12
He PRAISES ALGER
Col. Fitch on the Experiences
of the 21Sf Kansas
AND CONDUCT OF THE WAR
Schools viii Be Dismissed
for This Afternoon.

The G. A. r reunion opened al Griswolc
Park yesterday forenoon with PROBABLY
Thousand people present, and sixty tents
pitched in the park outside OF the big
audience tent. AT 2 O'Clock Mayor Ross
nace an address of welcome TO the vet
Grams, which was responded TO by Captain
Burgess.
Colonel Fitch spoke a: length Of the ex-
periences OF the Twenty-hrst Kansas and
of the conduct of the war. and spoke n
the highest terms Of Secretary Alger. Colo
mel Fitch speech was the feature OF the
afternoon.
He was dressed in a neat-ftting grey
Euit Of citizens clothes. He was greeted
heartily by friends and the soldiers Of TWO
wars; those of 81 to IS and those Of '9S.
he paid compliment to the Cd soldiers
present. and said it must be one Of the
greatest pleasures of their lives 10 meet TO-
gether in these annual reunions. ana ex-
pressed the wish that in future years It
might be his privilege to meet with the
boys of his regiment and brigade IN annual
gatherings OF similar character.
He started in by saying he would attempt
no flights Of oratory, out would endeavor
10 give some of the experiences Of the
Twenty-first Kansas during their five
months of service. He first spoke of the
stay at Topeka where the boys Of the
Twenty-fi-st endured more hardships than
81 any other time in their experience. quar-
fered as they were on a side hill with no
protection from the constant rain. The ex-
Dected supplies of uniforms falling TO ar
Five, the variety Of costumes the boys had
brought TO throw away gave the regiment
very uncOuth appearance and earned for
II the sobriquet of ''Coxey's Army"
at took forty coaches to transport the
regiment from Topeka to Chickamauga,"
Eaid Colonel Fitch in his splendid narrative
style of talking. The first day ride was
through the southern state Of Kentucky,
and was one grand, continuous ovation.
AT every city and town tht bells would
ring, the whistles sound. and throngs of
loyal people with bands Of music and
oceans Of flowers would greet the soldier
boys of Kansas. And I want to say right
here that al no time on that journey, or
al any place which I visited in the south
1and I went as far as Birmingham, Ala-),
did discover any evidence of the Mason
and Dixon line. II the war has done moth
dng else fort this country, IL has been
great success for having healed the diff
terences of the north and south. The sons
OF the north and the sons of the south
fought together side by side, and they
fought for tn esame flag for which you
fought, my comrades
Colonel Fitch was very interesting and
entertaining throughout his speech and
was listened 10 with great interest, espe-
ciaIly by the old soldiers, who mentally
compared the scenes described with mem
ories OF other days. He described quite
infinitely the camp ground at Chickamauga
park, which he said was a natural camp
ground. 1t is a vast park of 10000 acres.
taking in a large portion of the great
battle field of Chickamauga, preserved as
near like it used to be as it is possible
The government, at great expense, has
erected at the various places of strategic
importance in the great battle. huge iron
tablets on which are inscribed for the
benefit of the present age. and the genera
tons to come. the incident happening at
that very spot. One hundred and fifty
feet from Colonel Fitch's tent was a monu-
ment to the memory of General Preston
Smith. who was killed Al that point. And
over on Missionary Ridge was one OF the
finest monuments OF all, erected by the
people of Kansas in memory of the heroes
OF the gallant Eighth Kansas commanded
by Colonel James A. Martin. and the speak
er said it did him good TO find something
representing Kansas on that far southern
soil.
WOULD HAVE BEEN SATISFIED.
Had our troops moved away from
Chickamauga park on the 18th of July"
said the colonel. sowly and deliberately.
as if weighing his words. EVERY member
of the Twenty-first Kansas would have
gone away in good condition and good
feeling. The trouble with Chickamauga
was we were kept there too long. It never
was intended that We should stay there
for so great time. Scarcely a day passed
without receiving some word Of an advance
move in the near future. And want 10
say that there never was a time when a
forward move was mentioned that it was
not received with cheer from the boys of
the Twenty-first."
Mr.. Fitch said that Cervera's feet sail
1--- s-,4, u,