The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-16
VETERANS AT KOKOMO
SURVIVORS OF TWO GALLANT REGI-
MENTS HOLD THEIR REUNION.
Pleasure of Event Is MARRIED by u
of Gen. Thomas j. Harrison.
special to the INDIANAPOLIS Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
KOKOMO, Ind, Sept. 15.-The survivors
of the Thirty-ninth Indiana Infantry and
Eighth Cavalry are holding their twentieth
annual reunion here, the sessions TO close
tomorrow. About seventy of the 40 sur
vivors are registered and the sessions are
highly interesting. These regiments were
greatly decimated during the civil war.
Mayor Brouse delivered the address OF
welcome. response by j. T. Clark. of No
blesville. The camp fire literary entertain
ment tonight was a treat to the veterans.
The pleasure of the reunion was marred
by an accident TO Mrs. L. Z. Harrison. OF
this city, widow Of the late General Thomas
J. Harrison. the first commander of the
Thirty ninth Regiment. Mrs. Harrison has
always been a guest of honor at all the
yearly gatherings. This morning Mrs. Har-
rison, while preparing to attend the re-
union, fell across bath tub, breaking two
ribs and she was otherwise badly hurt.
Her absence from the sessions is a disap-
the accident and passed resolutions OF
sympathy.
CAMP FIRE WELL ATTENDED.
The camp fire last night was well attend
ed by comrades and their wives and daugh-
tiers, and the evening was pleasantly spent.
Nelson F. Wood, veteran of Putnam
county, was in a reminiscent mood and gave
an interesting talk. He produced an old
letter that looked as if it had had hard
usage There was great hole through the
center that one could almost put a hand
through. The hole was made by a rebel
bullet. Wood told the story OF how the let
ter came to be mutilated. While the One
hmm ra don d-fxx
TO Atlanta Wood was on picket duty one
night, or. rather, very early in the morning.
Just opposite the Union army lay the rebel
forces, their pickets also on duty. An ar
rangement was agreed to by the pickets on
each side to do no shooting at each other.
Feeling that he could safely lay down his
gun and forget warfare for the moment,
Wood procured soap box and, using il for
table. sat down TO write letter 10 his
mother. While thus engaged a picket on
the other side, conveniently forgetting his
compact, took a shot at the Union soldier
boy engaged in letter writing. The bullet
passed through the box, and tearing a hole
in the letter, grazed Woods arm He got
out of the way and finished his letter with
an explanatory note TO the mother regarding
the mutilatiOn. After the war was over he
found his mother still kept the letter He
has continued to retain Ii as a valuable
souvenir of a most thrilling incident Wood
also told story at the expense of the chap
lain OF the regiment. He thought il was
Lieut.. Jesse Miller, of Connersville, but he
wasn't sure. He said the chaplain, after
getting some OF the boys to put away card
playing and listen to sermon, began TO
preach In his remarks he used these words
If God be for you, who be against your
An Irish soldier who was some distance
away, hearing the words called out: "Jeff
Davis and the divil." THE remarks of that
Irishman," said Miller, afterwarc, knocked
all the preaching out of me-
Speeches were also made by Jesse F. Mil
Ter, of Connersville; Irwin Roberts, OF In
dianapois; Capt. Hugh Weston, OF Fair
mount, and Nathaniel Thompson. The
speakers paid tribute TO the memory OF
Colonel McQuiston. George Mowrer, OF
Greensburg, sang a song, and w s. Kaler.
of Andersonville, and his daughter, Mrs.
Miller, sang THE Faded Coat of Blue"