Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1926-06-03
MEMORIAL DAY
y BY KEWANIANS
Scldiers of the Civil War Present At
Friday Meeting; Patriotic Address
es and Music Make Up Program.

Stheir meeting FRIDAY night In the
Rebchas Hall, gave a Memorial Day
Program, and had for their guests A.
]. Mccullough, C. H. Odbert, R. l..
Tallman, Lewis Price, Sylvester Fish
er, B. P. Holbert, and A. C. Clayton
veterans of the Civil War Special
music in keeping with the occasion
was given by the Kiwanis Quartette,
Mr.. Kenneth Shinn and Miss Jessie
lNeter. Speeches were given by Rev
Denver c. Pickens of Elkins, Rev. NJ.
Nv. McKinster pastor of the Baptist
Chruch. and Chas Odbert, a Union
soldier, who was the first man to raise
the american flag in West Virginia,
latter she became a new state - this
was done at Wheeling.
C. H. Jones, made a report on the
kexpress rates and the letter which he
read from headquarters indicate a
speedy relief of some of the high
rates existing today, and that lower
rates were soon to be realized.
The memorial and patriotic address
es were very we'll received. Mr.. Cd
berts response is printed below;
GENTLEMEN / rise to
my feet to answer the call just made
by your Secretary. | had little idea
when talking to my friend, Mr.. Shinn,
that it would ever lead to this-me
trying to make an address, even
though it be short to those remaining
here of the once Grand ArmJ of the
Republic of eight hundred thousand
mfn, now reduced by time and death
and many hard battles of shot, she'll
and poison which many carried in
canteens and TASKS to eighty thous-
and, of which | am one, for which
am truly thankful to the good LSrd,
and excuse in (parenthesis) &C A
1866.
When father Abraham, Honest
Old Abe, issued his call for seventy
live thousand men for 80 days | en-
listed, but when the U. s. MASTERING
officer came around looking along the
line saw me, told me to run home and
Ltell my Mother she wants Me. l
was disappointed boy of tender
years, and happy mother kissed me
for awhile again. But when the call
again was made in 1862 | enlisted
after refusing good commission.
went IN the 18th w. Va. Regiment, a
(good Regiment, as good as the best,
)who for fighting IN front of Rich
Imond, the Capital of so-called South
IN Confederacy and taking the city
Petersburg near Richmond and
brought home the only Golden Eagle
on our flag staff of any regiment from
The state. need feel proud. Now
for little from the other. Just here
i want to say | claim no glory as
nghtlng man, as | was not a fighting
man at all to the enemy, even If |
did kin one and shot another, Al of
! which is strictly true. ] was captur-
| ed at Winchester, Va, where a SQUAD
Iof two or three hundred were march
led to Staunton-less my fine leather
haversack filled by lady with good
|eating material, none Of which | got.
las my Jonnie Reb. friend took all. We
we're taken to Belle Island where!
thousands starved to death. | esked
1.-THE commander if he would do me a
favor-that was put me out of that
SQUAD of Dutch Irish Negroes. He
said come on out to the Office. He
told me to take seat on outside and
they would try me. was afterwards
placed in Libby Prison, the dirties
hell-hole of the South to receive one
meal day of scraps, of any scraps of
Rirt, etc, and what we could drink
Nom three gallon bucket was o1u,
only food until the next day. We
had nothing to do but get to a win
dow on the side of James River and
fight bugs, lice and creepings of all
nations that were admissible to that
cline.
when the campaign began that
enemy received their first death
wound, causing continued fighting for
weeks and the evacuation of the said
city, the capital of so-called southern
Confederacy and the fleeing of Jeff
paws, its President, in disguise bv
Wearing woman's clothes. | had the
honor Of seeing Mr. Davis. after his
capture in the penitentiary, but ike
the Y. S. Government, let the past be
buried and forgotten forever.
eve may have some here who
fought on the other side who thought
10y were right at that time. III
have great respect for them as they
fought as true nlen for their q use,
and with an empty stomach.
Il thank you all FOR your kind at
tention and just say here / think the
United States can whip any nation of
twice our size if our cause is Just and
right. Three Cheers for the Star
5pangled Banner"