Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-03
RECEPTION AND BANQUET.
Co. G Entertain Ladies' and Captain
caughIan and Staff.

caughIan and Staff.
From Thursdays Daily.
One of the most successful military
affairs ever held in this city was the
banquet and reception given by the
members of Company &C." Fiftieth
regiment, Iowa National Guard, in
their armory last evening to its ladies,
Colonel Caughlan and staff, and the
honorary members of the company.
The affair was opened up with a ban
quet served in the spacious drill hall,
which was followed by short talks on
military affairs by Major Samuel Ma
hon and Captain S. H. Harper, after
which the tables were cleared away
and dancing was INDUCED in.
In honor of the occasion, Prof. l..
A. Woolworth, director of the Wap-
clio Chief orchestra, which furnished
the music, arranged march and two
step, which he dedicated to Company
&c" entitled Company g. I. N. g."
and it is very pleasing production.
The orchestra was compelled to rem
der it several times during the even
ing in response to the many requests
for its repetition.
The assemblage sat down to the
banquet tables at $3.50 o'clock The
tables were arranged across the rear
of the drill room and were four in
number. The service was by NOEL
roy, who personally overlooked every
detail, and an elaborate menu was
furnished.
At 1920 o'clock the company was
called to attention by Colonel Caugh-
a r, VII I'd 100 49, NOD -,
few well-chosen words, introduced
Major Samuel Mahon, an honorary
member of the company and veteran
of the civil war. Major Mahon's sub
ject was the "Old Soldier" and in a
short address he held the close at
tention of everyone as he related his
experience during those troublesome
times of the civil war.
Especially interesting was his
narrative of the armory of
his day in comparison with
the elaborate affair of today, and in
which the modern soldier is prepared
for war. In 1861, Major Mahon said,
the armory of the company with which
he was affiliated was the commons
west of Washington street. Ottumwa
was but village of 800and there were
but one or two houses west of that
thorofare. They had no hall in which
to meet, and that which held them to-
gether was patriotism and love for
their country. He also recounted the
action of the Seventh Iowa Infantry,
the regiment of which he was a mem
Der, from the time of their muster in
to the service of Uncle Sam, until
their muster out, as veterans of one
of the bloodiest and most stubborn
wars in the history of America. His
picture of the uniform of that day. as
compared with the natty military
dress of today brought smiles to the
faces of the young soldiers as they
listened to what the soldier of the civil
war called his "outfit," and how they
drew their clothing, and ''swapped"
until each man got as near a fit as
possible, and if he couldn't, took what
was left. Major Mahon spoke about
thirty minutes, and was greeted with
hearty applause as he resumed his
seat. The POSTMASTER then called up
on Captain Harper, another veteran
OF that war, for an impromptu talk on
The benefits of the National Guard OF
| today. Captain Harper spoke but a
few minutes on this subject. He clos
ed with an eulogy upon the ladies
present, and said it was time for them
to be entertained, after which he sat
down amid hearty applause. Colonel
Caughlan, announced the retirement
OF the company, until the tables could
be cleared away, when dancing began
and was continued until 1 o'clock.
The following were the guests of hon
or: