The Saint Paul globe., 1902-06-22
BEST REUNION YET
First Regiment Is Proud of
Entertainment Given
1t in st. Paul
SPEND DAY ON RIVER.
Gathering Ends With "A Meeting at
the Auditorium, at Which
Gov. Van SAINT Speaks
Officers Elected.
SPEND DAY ON RIVER

Never in the history Of the First Reg1-
ment of Minnesota has an annual reunion
proven so enjoyable and so successful in
every way as the thirty-fifth, brought
to a close yesterday. Survivors of this
historic regiment are, one and ALL loud
in their praise of st. Paul, and the lavish
manner in which they were entertained
here. Hence other cities appreciated the
utter hopelessness of trying to secure tho
honor of the gathering next year, and
this city was again chosen without a dis
senting voice. The reunion proper will oc-
cur al Wildwood and a basket picnic on
the shores Of the beautiful White Bear
lake viii be an enlivening feature.
The reunion was formally ended yes
ferday by a meeting in the Auditorium.
Gov. Van SAINT delivered an address, aft
er Which the annual business session OF
the organization was held Minneapolis
made feeble Overtures for the next re-
union, but the proposition was rejected.
A trip to Fort Smelling on the steamer
James J. Hill was the opening feature OF
the programme yesterday, the party leav-
ing the Auditorium at 9 o'clock The
Junior Pioneer band furnished the music
on the boat and minute guns were con-
sUanuy discharged. When the flag, wav-
ing loftiy over Mr.. Hills residence, came
in view stop was made and salute
fired to the Stars and Stripes.
Col Colville who commanded the gall
liant regiment that Suormed the works
of Gettysburg, was once more at the
head of his gallant comrades. Through
the courtesy Of the commandant at the
fort, ambulanCes were in waiting to con-
vey the company from the boat landing
to the fort and an hour or more was
spent at Minnesota's old military land
mark.
At the Old Fort.
The trip up the river was a joyous one,
but jOyously pathetic when the old fort
was reached. 1t was there just forty-one
years ago to a day, that the gallant band,
ever to be the pride Of their native state,
Boarded the ships that took them to the
battles front. Only too well the time
was remembered, and simply to stand on
the old historic spots, perhaps for the
last time, was more than some of them
could stand. And with tear-dimmed eyes
that old flag, floating so proudly DER the
old fort, was longingly beheld by the boys
of 81.
But there was a realistic joy, mingled
with the depressing sorrow, for after all
the cause was not unworthy of the deed.
The ranks had been numerically skim
med, but the band and the name re-
mained. And the men who stood the bat
ties teSt-the waste of shot and she'll
were there, to prove the loyalty Of the
Rrmy man, to country, comrade and flag.
At the business meeting held in the
Auditorium, resolutions thanking J. j.
Hill for his gift of 81, 900 towards defray-
ing the expenses of the union, were pass
ed. Samuel Bloomer, Of Saltwater, was
elected president; Moritz Ebert of White
Bear, first vice president; Adam Marty,
of st. Paul, second vice president; r. A.
Plummer, of Minneapolis, secretary, and
Mat Marvin, of Winona, treasurer.
When the soldier of the First Mime
sofa regiment went home last night, he
Tnlt that he had
fulness He had been permitted to wit
ness one more gathering, dearer to his
heart almost, than his own life, and the
reunion had been unusually enjoyable
1t was pleasure all the time with him,
and he was in his glory as he could sit
with his cOmrade of over forty years, and
Tehearse, time and time again, the numer-
GUS little incidents that relieved army
life Of its monotony.
Old Scenes Recalled.
The scenes of those times would come
to him as vividly as though they were
before his very eyes, and he entered into
the zest of the thing, as readily as though
he was Immediately on the spot There
were unpleasant reminders, to be sure
and an empty sleeve, and manned limb
here and there among his comrades put
a gloomy aspect to the outlook only for
short intervals. But the morbid at
EnOsphere could not last long He had
cause for happiness, and why should he
hot be happy Who had a better right,
Pfter spending the best years of his life,
The flower of youth as it We're, carrying
on the heroic struggle for a free ma
zion, and under an Independent flag.