The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-04-15
HOW kEN0SHA HEARD The NEWS
Members of the Grand Army Tell In
teresting History Of the Surrender of
Lee and It's Effect on the Men at the
Front and Their Families at Home.

Celebrating the triumphs of peace
and not glorying in the victories of war
little handful of Kenosha patriots
made up largely Of the members Of the
Grand Army Of the Republic and organ
izations allied with it gathered at the
City Hall on Friday evening to observe
the fftieth anniversary of the surren-
der of Lee at Appomattox court house.
The celebration was notable on account
Of the good feeling which existed be-
tween the victorious union soldiers and
the soldiers of the misguided Confeder-
acy. Eye witnesses told the story Of
what happened after the surrender of
Lee at the battle front and Of the man
ner in which the news of the surrender
was received in Kenosha+ on the memor-
able night when the letter from Lee to
Grant opened the doorway to peace be-
tween the North and the South
Most interesting was the historic ac-
count Of how the soldiers received the
news of the surrender told by Past
Commander Charles Likes of the Grand
Army. He was with the army of Grant
and although only a sixteen year old
boy the events of the great day were so
burned into his memory that he could
recite in detail the actions Of the men
at the front. He declared that when it
was announced that Lee had surren-
dered it was like the inmates of hum
dreds of lunatic asylums being turned
loose. The soldiers sang songs, made
bon fires and used up the ammunition
which they had in firing salutes In eel
ebration of the big event. The celebra-
ton continued for days until the men
who had been with the army were ready
to march North for their final dis
charge.
Frank III. Lyman told Of the an
nouncement of the news in Kenosha. 1t
was the story of John g. Shepard, the
pioneer carrier of the mails. The news
of the surrender did not reach Chicago
until the Afternoon papers had been
printed and Shepard got the news from
the trainmen. He came rushing down
Market street spreading the good news
at the top of his voice. AT point near
the place where the city hall now stands
Shepard mounted a platform and made
an address telling of the fall of Lee.
The address closed with the singing of
the long meter Doxology by the great
company of people.
Former Mayor G. F. Stemm gave the
principal address of the evening. He
spoke especially of the motives which
prompted the members of the Grand
Army in holding these celebrations and
declared that in them there was not a
spark Of enmity toward fallen foe,
but rather these celebrations offered a
chance for the Union soldier to pay his
tribute of love to the men who had
fought against him. He paid tribute
to both Grant and Lee and in conclud-
ing his remarks he read the famous cor
Irespondence which passed between the
leaders of the North and the South on
the days preceding the formal laying
down of arms.
The Mayor presided at the celebra-
ton and the program opened with sew
eral selections by the Achme Quartette,
after which Commander Oscar Rector
read "The Healing Of the Breach Be
tween the North and the South, = an
address prepared by Professor Albert
Fl. Sanford of the Lacrosse Normal
School Miss Ruth Casterton read in
q very charming manner the poem,
"The Blue and the Gray after which
the speakers Of the evening were intro
duced.