The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1903-04-03
ENTHUSIASTIC
MEETING

Inc meeLtuR OF the veteran soldiers
of Harrison county, held In the cour,
house Saturday aldermen In response
to . call issued few days, ago. for the
purpose Of perfectipg an organisation
was q most enthusiastic one, and result.
cd in the forming Of an organisation
such rs was contemplated when several
Of the veterans of the civil war signed
Comparative to the number of the
veterans of the civil war now living in
the county, the meeting was largely at.
tended. Music was furnished by the
big Eight" boy band of Northview.
After the band had rendered several pm.
triotic airs, the veterans gathered to.
gether in the auditorium of the court
hsuse and resolved into meeting.
The meeting was called to order by
Squire James y. David, who, after well
coming the comrades present, and ex-
pressing his surprise at seeing so many
present in response to the call, made
the following address:
Veterans Association of Harrison coun-
ty. West Virginia.
This call has been issued especially
to the former soldiers of the Union in
the Civil war
First. to get record of all the vet.
Grams residing in Harrison county with
o;it reference to the state, from which
they may have come with their name.
company, regiment and army II service
and. If practicable, brief account of
their military history.
Second. to teach lessons of patriotism
The gigantic struggle of the Civil war
was to decide by the terrible arbitra-
ment Of the sword whether the terri
tory of the United States was to be
dismembcred by the establishment of a
southern confederacy to be followed II.
time. perhaps, by a Pacific, n Missis-
sippi. New England or half score or
more of other confederacics; or to re-
main one nation, undivided, to become
the nobIest nation the world ever be-
held with the "old Flag floating over
all, not a stripe erased or polluted; not
single star obscured. From out the
fearful strife OF the four years of Civil
war came the decision that the United
States Is To exist as one nation. These
reunions will teach the youth of the
land Mt what n tremendous price their
peace and prosperity were purchased.
A very few of the old soldiers carried
away by habits perhaps formed in
the army forget that it is their duty
by the conduct to teach patriotism, but
for these failings we drop the mantle
OF forgctfnlness, for we remember how
IN their young manhood they marched
steadily into fearful storms of iron hail
and lcaden rnin. spattered with the
blood of their dying comrades and of
ten bleeding from their own wounds, tn
carry the nations flag to victory. But
] would not forget those against whom
we fought. The bitterness of the past
i gone or fast dying out. Our enemies
were sincere and courageous. They. too.
have taught a lesson in patriotism which
i sometimes forgotten. When, after
four years Of heroic struggle. they went
down in defeat and with a lcniency I'M
paralleled in the history of the world.
their conquerors, in the hour of triumph.
said to the fallen. taken your horses and
go home. Sou will need them in the
cultivation Of Your fields. They went
to those war-dcsolated homes and took
up the burdens of life and became, and
still arc, as true and loyal citizens ms
those who wore the blnc. If need should
be like their former gallant leaders.
Fitzhugh Lee and Wheeler, they would
don the United States uniform and fol-
low the Stars and Stripes from the ris-
ing Of the sun TO the going down thereof
as Loyalty and truly a their forcfathcrs
followed the same lag at Saratoga and
Yorktown The sons 81 those who wore
''the blue" and Of those who wore .the
gray whose fathers met in mortal com
bat on many bloody field, have Farms
TO strike and souls Ia dare as quick a
far as they" but il will bc for one coun.
try and one flag. Another Object OF this
meeting is 10 keep alive a fratcrnal
spirit. A. age and disease and carkinr
CARES increase upon the old soidiers They
tend TO make them grow grabbed, norbrl
and misanthropic. These meetings will
recall times of more youthful days when
i "''> =" 'ihA from the same
canteen.' 70 share the same blanket OF
To creep under the same shelter tent
and We will look more gently on each
other, forgive other, foibIes and fault,
and go down, perhaps, 10 nameless ana
unknown grayes, but the country q
which we gave our humble service vii
never be forgotten, but win 60 on ans
fuihii It's glorious dastiny, nor wiil 4
ever be forgotten that TIE abovsp a