Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-03

/ I'll, when the 100 rebel guns opened up
| on the flag OF the Union floating above
tt Sumter, in Charleston harbor,
there swept over the entire north a
spirit OF patriotism the like of which
has possibly never been equaled since.
| Ihere We're no partisans, but the citi-
| zens rose en- masse to fight for the
/ protection and preservation of the I'M
1 Ion. Over 100000 men We're enlist
ed in the Union armies during that
fearful struggle. Over 100000 of these
| We're killed or died of wounds and to-
day there has passed away over 1,000,-
coo more, SO that now more than half
OF that large army have gone to join
the great army above. On this day,
given up to the honoring of the memo
rnes of these departed heroes we can
| do nothing greater nor show more
patriotic sentiment than by strewing
! the graves of the departed with flow
ers
At the close of Capt. Harper's ad-
dress the members of the school join
ed in singing Rally Round the Flag"
as the closing song.
Exercises at High School.
The services at the high school this
morning opened with a selection by the
| high school orchestra rendered in a
most excellent manner, after which a
short address of welcome to the mem
| bers of the G. a. R., who were in at
! tendance was delivered by Prof. Eu-
gene G. PIERCE, principal of the high
school. Prof. PIERCE then introduced
Col. w 7. Mollison, the newly elected
commander of the Iowa division of the
Sons of Veterans Mr.. Mollison spoke
OF the pride he felt in being son Of a
veteran of the civil war, and the great
feeling of reverence he had for the de-
tenders of our country who through
four years of bitter strife, enduring
sickness and hardships, fought gallant
| ly that their country might be pre-
served
Greatest Conflict in History.
| Mr.. Mollison then introduced Major
A. H. Hamilton who made the memo
rial day address to the students of the
school. Major Hamilton said in part:
I'm looking over the numbers Of
young faces before me it takes me
back to my own school days many
years ago, before that great struggle
of which l am going to speak to you
men ON the Union side lost their lives
fighting CALAMITY for their country,
and 100000 more died within the next
five years from wounds or sickness,
making the total number of the brave
defenders of the just cause who gave
up their lives reach the half million
mark. There was never such con-
| flict before in the worlds history And
ItOn 1n1, NJ to, 20
the loyal men who fought and suffered
side by side through long years of
dreadful struggles and intense hard
ships, that the Union might be pre-
served
OttumWa in 1861.
Before going any further it may be
well to look back on our own city in
the years 1860 and 1861 At that time
| the residents of this city were not all
union sympathizers. There were some
who openly professed their preference
| for the cause of the rebels, and left
| Ottumwa for the south to join their
armies. Others secretly sympathized
with the southerners as could be seen
by their disloyal faces and the joy
with which they received the tidings
of rebel victory.
Battle of Bull Run.
81 remember after the union defeat
at Bull Run how for time it served to
| discourage the union sympathizers,
but since then | have grown to look
upon that defeat as being helpful rath-
er than harmful to the cause, as it
tended to prove that slavery was the
cause of all the suffering, and decided
the north in the determination to wipe
out this curse forever from the coun-
| try.
The Nations Vices.
Young people you can learn from
the story of that fierce struggle, of
fathers to keep the Union intact, Of
who waited and prayed for the safe
return of their husbands and sons
And you must remember that if the
nation is to be preserved, and our re
publican form of government to be
maintained, that it rests with the gen.
Grafton now growing to manhood and
womanhood. 1t may also be well to
bear in mind the thought that is often
expressed rnat if this country is ever
again plunged into terrible war, it
VIII ne CHe VICES VI Tie .udIlOu InaL
will bring it about
The Last Roll Call.
"The old soldiers are associated to-
| gether to keep green the memory of
their departed comrades, to help one
another in distress and by associ-
ating together to promote patient 10y
atty and good citizenship, and may It
always be our most earnest resolve to
be able to answer with clear con-
science the last roll call of that great
commander
The exercises closed with the sing
ling of America"
AT THE CEMETERY.
ottumwa People Pay Homage to Hon.
ored Dead.
Keeping time to martial music in it.