Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-09-20
FOURTH DELAWARE.
Interesting Reunion of the Survivors OF tn
Old Regiment. psE


Interesting Reunion of the Survivors OF the
Old Regiment.
The 18th annual reunion OF the sur
viving members of the Fourth Della
ware Regiment was held Thursday az
Brandywine Springs Park and was pre-
sided over ~ W. H. Barnett, with
Comrade Jetferis as secretary. Many
prominent men were present, inoluuIng
Gen. j. W. Hoffman Of Pbilade.phia,
former c5mman6er of the Third battai-
ion, Third Army Corps, in which the
Fourth Delaware served for some time
Capt. Challenger Of PhiladelphiB and
Gen. Killgouert of New York. "a
During the morning much OF the
time was taken up with handwriting,
talking over past events and In a gen
eral good time. At IL o'clock a stump
tucus repast was served at the restaur-
ant, with the table set for as. lmme-
| diately after dinner the party moved to
| the dance ball, where the meeting was
called to order. Chaplain Sullivan res
cited the pray or and the minutes OF the
| last meeting wtrs read and approved. (.
Last year there were 63 men present to
answer roll call, and this year there
were Sc, showing a falling off 10 the
1 ranks. After roll call Samuel Lewis
,notiofd that there was no American
flag in the building or about IT,
although they were very numerous at
/ the diningrooms. Mr.. Lewis strongly
objected to meeting of such men
going on without the emblem present
for which they had fought and for
which so many of their comrades had
given up their last drop of blood.
After some discussion one was ,pio.
cured and the meeting prooeeded.
Capt. Challenger related a little in
cident which happened at the front.
The soldiers under him were ordered to
move to the front and had settled down
|, for supper, only few miles from the
| firing line. Scarcely had the coffee
been put in the pot when another
order came to move IN double quick
time and to throw up breast works on
the top of a hill overlooking very In
portant railroad, which served US the
main means Of the Coufederates get
ting their supplies into camp. On a
Saturday morning the division was sent
out to skirmsh ard proceeded through
large corn field, then through dense
woods on the outskirts Of which they
encountered the Confederates, who
drove them pellmell back into thu
Union ranks and they scattered y
, various regiments. They soon rallied
4 however. formed a crescent shaped linz
+ of cattle, ard worked all night throw
Iug up breastworks. In the morning
I the Confederates were again seen ad
| vancing from the woodland. The com
!. mander in chief, Gen. Hoffman, mp
psared on white horse and rode Il
/ the front, gave his orders and wa
! ooolly standing to one side, his oiderl
next to him, when suddenly a sho
Q Fl ON one of the large guns on the Con
' federate lines struck the orderly
horse and he fell to the ground, Th
q general Immediately assisted the ma
!. to his feet and by this act won th
r hearty applause of the soldiers. SET
d geant WEISS set up a rousing thre
n cheers, which was taken up hy th
y whole army and resounded far With
d the camp Of the enemy. Gen. Hoifma
q then rcds up to Private Russell an
II ordered him to shoot the wounde
IN horse.
l. Capt. Challenger Offered three NOR
a. rousing cheers for the general whic
l. was responded to by all those preseI
with decided vim. s
o- Officers for the ensuing year WEI
al then elected as follows: Presiden
g. Ellwood Craig; Secretary and Trea
h. urer, Edwin @. Jeffris. An executi'
'. committee was appointed to assist
sd the preparation of the annual reunion
Nv in the future. The committee co
n. sisrs of Samuel Lewis, O. Williams al
ia James Agnew. Daniel Green was +
g elected chaplain. The vice-p residen
b. for the different companies were al
al reelected as follows: Go. A, w.
Al Barnett; Go. B, r. II. Williams; q
III G, M. Fl. Blest; 10. d, John Bulloo
ne o.. Z, j., Harkins; Go. Il, J.. M
n Michael Co. g, Robert Downey
Fl, Joseph Williamson, Co. ], j. FL
geson, and Cc. X, William Richard
The statement Was made that t
=, flags of the reg imeut, which are 10 t
custody Of the Historical Society, a
a, not receiving the attention the mel
~ bers think they should and resoiuti
nd was adoptei appointing q commit
~ -, to confer with the Historical Socie
~, relative to the matter. Before this {
IN. cision was reached, however, mu
,as discussion took place, some being
III. favor Of turning the flags over 10
ia State and have it provide for their 81
,,st keeping, and others were in favor
,aI leaving the flags remain where they a
Gen. Hoffman made an INTEREST,"
n
rrv said that he had something to sh
"a the old soldiers and it was the 4
III that had led them on many bloc
n field. The white in tie flag was taA
tha from Confederate pillow case,
rth red from the overooat Ct a New W
70 soldier and the blue from the shirt
ton Pennsylvania man. ~
M, The names Of those who have d
III. siDre the last meeting were reoors
,;x and among them the name OF Lie
nst Joseph Wheeler, former president
n the organization. Several memb
and spoke Of his life and his work dur
rast it and all agreed that it was 20 exs
! of plary that fitting tribute was fnr
we. you'd The power Of any present. 1t /,
get resolved that committee be appolD
lse. to have the best possible set of resc
nv TORS adopted and to report at the u
,les. nesting. a
lor, FIRST DELAWARE REUNION.
On October 20th-the First DelaH
Regiment will hold reunion In
the city to oelebi ate the 35th annisers
that of their having left here fol the fir,
fire An effort is being made to have all
med old regIm ents attend.
a in | /.