Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-09-15

Jefferson county are justly proud Of it.
Years ago, when superintendent
Thorne was teaching at Rome, in
Jefferson county, he began getting the
schools from neighboring districts to
join with his school in the obserya-
ton OF Memorial day. That day came
to be a great one in that community.
The children began contributing
pennies and nickels for a local sol
diers' monument. By-and-by it was
decided to make the matter more ex-
tensive and the result was-in the
enG-this fine monumen must
tell more about this when I can use
more space than have now.
Reunion of the Twelfth at Reedsburs.
The other reunion to which | have
referred was that of the 18th infantry
at Reedsburg. 1t was one of the
very best, and I'd like three columns
in which to tell about It. The first
annual meeting of this regiment was
held here in Madison % years ago.
Most of the annual gatherings since
then have been held in Madison, but
others have been at Boscobel. Maus-
ton. Reedsburg, Kilbourn, Grand Rap
ids and Green Bay. ! may say that
this last reunion at Reedsburg was
one Of the very best There We're
forty-eight members OF the regiment
registered, also several comrades of
other regiments, with several wives,
children and grand children.
The comrades at Reedsburg have
the spirit of their enterprising grow
ing city, and they received us heart
lily, took us into their homes. well
coined us and made us happy So
cial and business meetings were held
in the hall of H. A. Tabor post. G. A.
R., ard on Wednesday evening ti-sre
was a big campfire meeting in the
opera house Rations were issued in
the large dining rooms of the elegant
new NJ. 2 church. where the whole
crowd went to eat together. That was
the best kind of Arrangement, for peo-
pie came to be most social over their
coffee, meat, potatoes and pie.
These comrades have met together
so often that the relationships be-
tween the most of them have come to
be intimate, ard they rejoice in the
blessed privilege of their annual re-
union And the same may be said of
the wives of several of them. The
association is blessed with a president
who undertakes to make the soldier ,
and officer and has been ever since
the war a leading citizen. He has
been for some years an intelligent
leader in our state legislature He is
an enthusiastic. active and depend
able member of our association. He
has been our president two years and
was unanimously reelected at Reeds
burg. He is Senator H P. Bird of
Wausaukee.
The principal address at our camp
fire was given by Captain Van s.
Bennett, Company l. of Rockton, this
state. 1t was review of the At
lanta camra'gn and was called one
of the best addresses ever given be-
for our association. 1t win by-and-by
appear in this corner. The music by
male quartet at our campfire was SO
fine and fitting that it stirred the old
boys to their very toes. They fairly
shouted applause.
Reedsburg is one Of the brightest
cleanest and most prosperous of the
smaller cities Of Wisconsin Every
thing about the place. streets, bust
ness houses, homes, high school and
churches indicate a fine, generous
public spirit; a tendency to hustle and
be clear up-to-date. Everybody under
took TO make our old boys happy
there, and they did it. In not many
places would the people open their
homes for the free entertainment of
old soldiers at a reunion
The secretary called the roll of as
s;ia v1vors whose addresses he has on
his mailing list. They were scattered
through eighteen states of the union.
Eighteen comrades are known to have
died during the past year. All are
growing old. and several are known
to be in feeble condition. Some few
met at Reedsburg this year for the
first time since the war
It is not yet known where the next
meeting will be held. but Grand Rap
ids is mentioned in this connection.
Alter the close of the regimentaI
reunion the members of Company E
held a social and business meeting at
the. hospitable home of Comrade Ma
thaniel barrow. There they enjoyed
to the full sweet social intercourse and
good rations.