Evening journal., 1922-09-01
first BATTERY
SERVED WELL
Bravery During Civil War
Drew Attention of British
Army Chiefs
R. G.. TURNER is
NEW PRESIDENT

Many battles of the Civil War were
recalled at the thirty-first annual re-
union Of the First Delaware Battery.
Light Artillery, held at Shellpot
Park yesterday. Only nine members
of the battery attended the reunion.
At the close Of the war there were
seventeen survivors OF the battery
that was $50 strong before the war.
II was at firstf feared that the num-
Der attending the reunion was going
TO be less than that. At 2 o'clock
yesterday afternoon only FIVE OF the
old veterans had assembled. however
the other four came in later in the
afternoon.
The grand old men who were In
youth 60 years ago. and who at
tended the annual get-together yes
terday were Alfred J. Rumford
Henry Massey, Joseph G. Heck,
Thompson II. Walters william II.
Grantland, Robert G. Turner.
Samuel p. johnson. Edward p.
siemers and Alfred Thomson. AL
fred L. Benjamin, OF Chestertown.
Nd, who fought with the Second
Maryland Regiment during the con-
hict, was a guest. William p. Mar
tine. 50 years, Is the oldest member
now living. However. Mr.. MARITIME
was not present yesterday. The
honor of ages lay between Samuel
p. Johnson and Joseph G.. Heck.
Both OF these old warriors have seen
81 years of life. Mr.. Johnson who
lives in Newark, y. j., works every
day. He said yesterday that II he
didn't work every day he would die
IN a week. Mr.. Johnson further
stated that work is a stimulant for
the old as well as for the young.
The annual business meeting OF
the organization was held in the aft
ernoon. These officers were elected:
President, Robert G. Turner; vice.
president, william II. Grantland;
secretary, Alfred j. Rumford; chap
lain. Samuel P. johnson and treas
urer. Mrs. William ]. Lackey. Dur
ing the past year Robert Lidell, who
was president OF the association.
died. william Talley. also died last
year. Resolutions of regret were
adopted and spread upon the min
utes Of the organization and letters
Of coincidence will be sent the fami- !
lies Of the deceased veterans.
other surviving members OF the
battery who did not attend the re-
union yesterday were: William 3.
Adams. James L. Boyd. Wesley j. |
Husbands, william p. MARITIME, owen |
Mackin, George Dandy, James A.
Robinson and Walter Bowman.
After the election Of officers and |
other routine business, Mrs. Nields, |
widow of Colonel Benjamin Nields, |
who commanded the First Delaware /
Battery, read a paper taken from !
letters of her husband about the /
battles in which the battery took /
part. An interesting fact brought
out by Mrs. Nields was that
shortly after the war, before the 1
battery was demobilized, several mill |
itary experts from England came TO |
this country TO inspect the army.
When examining the artillery they /
were referred to Colonel Nields'
Battery as being the crack battery
OF the entire Union Army. Plans
were made by the government to
have the Delaware boys go over TO
England on an exhibition tour. How
ever. this was later given up.
Mrs. William Lea, whose husband
was a member OF the. battery before
his death. was another speaker.
Miss Jennie L. Lea also read letter
written by her father at Camp Mar
shall which tells something OF the
camp life and about a visit 10 an
army hospital after the battle Of
The stationery on
which the letter was written beans
imprint OF an American flag on the
upper left hand corner. under which
this inscription is printed: my God,
my country next. and then my
family"
The matter OF having the flags OF
the battery taken out OF the cellar
in old City Hall and placed in some
building where the public could see
them was discussed at the business
meeting. However. nothing definite
was done. Samuel P. Johnson urged
that in order that the name Of the
First Delaware Battery may con-
tinue, efforts should be made to in
terest the young people in it, so that
they can continue the reunions after
all the veterans are dead.
About twenty other persons were
in attendance in addition to the
members. These were daughters
and relatives Of the veterans. Dinner
was served about ~ o'clock and later
In the afternoon fee cream and cigars
we're in order