Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-08-15
SOCIETY OF THE 21sT REGIMENT
OF IOWA INFANTRY voLUN.
TIERS TO CELEBRATE
THE DATE is MAY %, 1908
Plan is to Hold Exercises on the Old
Battle Ground in Front Of the Iowa
Memorial Near RegimentaI Monu.
ment - Comrades to Attend

Celebrating the forty-fifth anniver-
sary of the charge in which the regi-
ment was SO conspicuous, the society
of the 2lst Regiment of the Iowa In
fantry Volunteers will hold it's annual
reunion at Vicksburg, Mississippi, May
~, 1908. J. F. Merry, president of
the association has issued the follow
ing statement to the survivors Of the
21st Iowa regiment:
The Letter.
Dear Comrades At our last re-
union held at Sac City, June 1921, 1t
was decided that we hold regmental
reunion at Vicksburg, Mississippi,
May 20, 1908, 1t being the forty-fifth
anniversary of the charge in which
the old regiment was so conspicuous.
The officers elected for next year were
as follows:
President. F. Merry, Manchester;
vice president, Hon, M W. Harmon
Independence; secretary, Gilbert Cool
ley, Strawberry Point.
What Is now occupying our thought
is, how can we persuade the com
rades that this will be the trip of
lifetime. and one that should be made
BY every surviving member, who is
physically able to do SO? 1t was sug-
gested at Sac City that the boys begin
now and set apart, every month, three
dollars ($3.00) to be used in making
this trip. The scheme is good one and
we heartily recommend it. The plan
is to hold our exercises on the old
battle ground in front of the Iowa
State memorial, which is within a
stones throw over which you charged
on that memorable May %, 1863. Boys
don't say you cannot go. Your officers
will do everything possible to secure
low rates Of fare. and sleeping car
accommodations enroute and while at
Vicksburg. This invitation is not only
to the members OF the regiment, but
to all their friends.
Some Of you have friends and daugh
tes who every year make trip some
where. What would be more pleas
ant than for them to accompany faith
er over those historic battlef1elds and
have the satisfaction Of knowing they
had visited the greatest military park,
not only In the United States, but in
the world? Already the government
has expended nearly million dollars
at Vcksburg and the states more than
half this amount to commemorate one
Of the greatest campaigns and sieges
in all military history. Thirty miles
of avenues, thousands of markers,
hundreds of monuments and guns are
now in the park. In the Vicksburg
National cemetery, by far the most
beautiful In this country, are head
stones marking the resting place of
nearly $1,000 comrades who wore the
blue.
Comrades, this is our association
and we are but your servants. There
is nothing too hard for US to do If 1t
will contribute to your comfort and
insure your attendance at the Vfcks,
burg reunion. We want the address
Of every survivor Of the 21st Iowa
Won't you help us to secure them
I II so, drop line to the secretary
Gilbert Cooley, Strawberry Point Iowa
and do 1t quick Give the names ant
address of comrades you know who
are now living outside Of Dubuque
Clayton and Delaware counties. Our
motto Is "On to Vicksburg in 190s'
Tell everybody you see they are most
cordially invited to join us on this
great trip.
Sincerely yours,
(Signed)
Gilbert Cooley, Secretary,
Strawberry Point, Iowa.
J. F. Merry, President,