The Chariton leader, Chariton, Iowa Thursday, April 11, 1907 'VETERANS AT SHILOH' * * * * * They Celebrated the Forty-Fifth Anniversary of Battle on Saturday. -------------------------------------- The Clarke and Lucas County Veterans' Association held its annual reunion in Chariton, Saturday, April 6, this being the 45th anniversary of that great battle of the civil war, it commencing on Easter Sunday, April 6th, 1862, continuing on the 7th, resulting in a Union victory after the indecisive issue of the first day. Two distinguished generals fell in battle, Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, of the confederate forces, and Gen Wallace, on the union side. Twenty thousand soldiers were killed during the two days' engagement. The local veterans met the incoming soldiers at the morning trains and they formed in line, marching to the court house, with the national colors properly displayed. Besides the Shiloh veterans many others joined and enjoyed the occasion. At 2:00 o'clock p.m., assembly was held in the court room and the meeting was called to order by the President, A.M. Wheeler, introducing Thomas Gay, who made a short address of welcome, after which the roll of members was called and the following comrades answered to their names: ALMER SWIFT, 6th Ia., Moulton, Ia. M.V. BARTON, 14th Ia., Russell, Ia. E.D. SPENCER, 13th Ia., Lucas, Ia. W.O. PARRISH, 3rd Ia., Osceola, Ia. F.M. KYTE, 6th Ia., Osceola, Ia. DAVID ODA, 31st Ind., Chariton, Ia. AZRO KING, 13th Ia., Russell, Ia. W.W. WILLIAMS, 15th Ia., Osceola, Ia. J.W. CARSON, 15th Ia., Woodburn, Ia. COLEMAN BARBER, 6th Ia., Woodburn, Ia. J.P. MARTIN, 13th Ia., Chariton, Ia. J.L. MCKISSICK, Albia, Ia. H. HICKENLOOPER, 6th Ia., Albia, Ia. W.N. HALL, 11th Ill. Cav., Weldon, Ia. CHARLES SCHOTTE, 66th Ill., Chariton, Ia. A.D. GRAY, 31st Ind., Chariton, Ia. A.M. WHEELER, 13th Ia., Chariton, Ia. H. MINGLES, 45th Ill., Chariton, Ia. T.N. PRIMM, 28th Ill., Chariton, Ia. E. HART, 6th Ia., Osceola, Ia. W.J. HAMILTON, 6th Ia., Osceola, Ia. J.H. ANDREWS, 17th Ohio, Chariton, Ia. WM. PADGETT, 6th Ia., Osceola, Ia. WM. MURRAY, Oakley, Ia. G.W. SWEENEY, 11th Ia., Osceola, Ia. J.P. VOORHIES, 14th Ia., Lucas, Ia. W.W. BEARDSLEY, 8th Ia., Chariton, Ia. E. ESSEX, 13th Ia., Pierce City, Mo. B.F. SHAFFER, 6th Ia., Osceola, Ia. V. H ARLAN, 6th Ia., Osceola, Ia. MATT KERR, 7th Ill., Osceola, Ia. JOSEPH BEST, 6th Ia., Chariton, Ia. J.N. BALLOU, 6th Ia., Osceola, Ia. Comrades L. Manning and George Guches having died since last meeting, a committee on resolutions on the death of Conrade Guches, consisting of Comrades W.O. Parrish, W.J. Hamilton and W.W. Williams, and on the death of Comrade Manning, committee of Thos. Gay, A.D. Gray and H. Mingles was appointed. The election of officers being next in order, W.O. Parrish, of Osceola, was elected president, and W.J. Hamilton secretary for the next year. The newly elected president gave an earnest invitation for all to meet at Osceola, April 7, 1908. The speakers for the occasion, other than comrades, were Rev. Fred Palmer, Judge J.C. Mitchell and H.W. Gittinger. Through some misunderstanding Judge Mitchell did not arrive. Mr. Gittinger addressed the assembly at some length, at 3:00 o'clock. At the evening session Rev. Palmer arrived on the grounds with a new array of facts and fiction and saved the day. His address was an eloquent tribute to the valor of those who fought forty-five years before replete with both philosophy and (*can't read). These efforts were not without appreciation. Col. Warren S. Dungan, in an impromptu speech, warmed to the occasion and said that both were unfortunate in their time of birth, for he thoroughly believed had they been on the stage of action and of military age at the time that they would have been at Shiloh, and suggested that they be made honorary members of the association, which was favorably acted upon. The colonel touched upon several phases of the military situation, saying that to be a Grand Army veteran was a recognized honor -- or the soldier of any American conflict, proven by the care in tracing ancestry back to revolutionary stock. Comrades Mingles, Hamilton, Spencer, Teas, Coles and others made the camp fire glow with jest and personal reminiscence. It was an alternation of story and song, Comrades, Coles, Hamilton, Teas and others covering themselves with new laurels. One of the features of the day was a talk by N.B. Branner, who fought on the other side. He had come in and sat "way back," when Comrade Swift "drafted" him to talk. After some hesitation he arose and said that he once opposed them and at one time had had experience, after capture in military prisons, but had changed his opinion of the soldiers for the union since his youthful enlistment. He had never been taunted or humiliated for the part he had taken and found it a pleasure to associate with his former foes. He said several pretty things worthy of publication but it is impossible to reproduce them at this time. It was a new evidence that the war is over and that time has healed all wounds and made amends for past differences. * * * * * * Two banquets were served, one at the noon hour, at Ben Johnson's "Arcade" Restaurant, and the other at 5:30 at the Elba Cafe. They were both elaborate and the citizen soldiery and their guests moved upon them as though they had just returned from Pittsburg landing with empty havre sacks. * * * * * * Comrad Teas said the battle of Shiloh was a military mistake in point of equipage of maneuvre. The government should simply have directed one of Hobson's talking machines toward the seat of the confederacy and the whole rebellious establishment would have taken to the woods immediately. * * * * * * Comrade Mingles is a great originator of continued stories. * * * * * * When Judge Roberts beheld the Shiloh veterans approaching he immediately evacuated the court room, surrendered his bench and laid down the law. * * * * * * It is a pretty tough one on Rev. Palmer, considering his standing in the community. He said the result at Shiloh was traceable to a little occurrence at sun up, Sunday, April 6, 1862, when Comrade Sam Swift and Corporal Henry Mingles were seen working about a cannon. Sam was holding a brass kettle over the muzzle, while Henry touched his live pipe to the fuse end. They were aiming to catch a cannon ball each to send home. Then there was a loud report and the man with the kettle split the horizon. Just then an orderly came over the hill and the following colloquy ensued: "Where's Swift?" "In the advance, Sir!" "When will he be back?" "I don't know, but if he keeps up the gait on his return that he was on when he went away it will not be long." In less than ten minutes thereafter, according to Mr. Palmer's history, the battle commenced. But Comrade Swift comes in with a rejoinder and says that when the battle of Shiloh ensued he was a boy at home 15 years of age and did not enlist until 1863. This put a mighty bad light on the speaker's statement of face or else reflects on the source of his information. All unreasonable yarns were vouched for by comrades present and believed as military necessity. A.D. Gray was the retiring secretary. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert December 13, 2004 iggy29@rnetinc.net