The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-02-06
Celebrate Anniversary of
Battle Of Santa Ana
OCCASION IS A JOLLY ONE
TALES OF BATTLE, FEASTING AND
GOOD CHEER MARKS PLEAS
ANT EVENT.

With the soft, subdued light of a
score of candles throwing fitful shad-
ows on the walls and giving the scene
a cozy, home like air, with the stars
and stripes forming an appropriate
canopy for the so brave boys who
rsked their lives in their lcOurtry's de-
fense, with sabres, carbines and KNAPP
of honor upon the walls of the 'mess
tent" the survivors of the Spanish
American war; yesterday evening, sat
down to one of those banquets familiar
time on the firing-line and who have
spent days and nights with nothing
more delectable than hard tack, cOffe e
and bacon for their rations
The observance of the battle of San
ia Anna. in which the Washington SOL
diers received their baptism of fire.
at the hands of the willy Filipino, is one
of those rare occasions looked forward
to from year to year as the crowning
event in the life of the soldiers of the:
Union, who answered the call to arms
and went to a foreign country to up
hold the glorious banner, and the prin-
ciples thereby represented.
Twas jolly crowd of vets that
gathered in Germania hall early yes
terday evening to talk over events OF
those thrilling days when death was
looked upon without a tremOr, whe 1
the spirit of win or die was uppermost
in each mans breast, and when home
and loved ones were, for the time be-
ing, relegated to a place of seeming
unimportance by the excitement and
confusion resultant upon active mill
tary life.
Banquet Enjoyed.
While number of veterans of the
late war were unable to be present
last night, their absence caused not
the pangs of corrOw, the heartburns
and tear-d drops occasioned by allusion
of speakers to those who have gone to
their last reward-have answered the
last roll call on earth. The long tables
were fully occupied by members and
friends of the Spanish-American veter-
an organization, and a number of vet
Grams of the Civil war were given seats
| of honor at the head of the banquet
| board.
hor C
| far as satisfying the palates of those
present would be putting it mildly, for
i the seasoned vets accustomed to con-
filming their attention to the engage
ment of the moment. passed up all
other issues. and when the smoke of
battle rolled away the banquet boar
! appeared in a light similar to that
presented by the Filipino firing-lin
after the boys in blue had completed
| their maneuverS.
Commander Charles Buffum acted
as POSTMASTER. and in a neat intro
| ductory address. containing a brief
history of the battle which was being
commemorated. the following events in
which the Washington boys were en-
gagged and the history of the campaign
! in the Philippines in brief. presented
Colonel Thomas NJ. Fisher. of the G. A.
r.. who spoke for a few moments on
THE Necessity of Organization" Col
onel Fishers address was interrupted
/ by frequent bursts of applause as in
glowing words he paid high tribute tO
! the young men who had proved them
selves worthy of their breeding, and
| had gone into battle-to win. Plans
for the future. whereby army organi-
cations might receive recognition from
the government, were touched upon
and the suggestions of the colonel were
received with hearty good will and ap-
proval by the younger vets"
| Colonel Fishers remarks We're in
part as follows:
when l come to a gathering of this
kind. | am glad that l was born just
when / was; that I had strength and
courage to go into the army and per-
| form my duty as a soldier, that l might
lhave the right to call you comrades.
1.-The G. A. r. like yours. is an organ
| tization unique in conception, illustri-
ous in achievement. the breath of patri-
lotism and the color guard of liberty.
iIt is the organized love of the men who
fought together in the army of the
urion. We. as yon. should nev-r for-
get the place the sabre and bayone!
gave us in history.