ORATION AT THE DEDICATION At the time of the dedication of the Soldiers' monument which is located on Main street between Trinity cathedral and the high school July 4, 1881, Davenport in company with all the United States was in the shadow of sorrow caused by the assassination of President Garfield.  In the column which marched to the scene of dedication were military and civic orders.  The Scott County Veterans' association had ninety-seven men in line, representing fifty-seven regiments and ten states.  There were military companies from Davenport, Rock Island, and Muscatine, also detachments from the Knights of Pythias and Turngemeinde. The  statue surmounting the column was unveiled by Mrs. Foster, widow of the lamented Major Foster of the Eleventh Iowa, and her two daughters.  The oration was by Gen. J. B. Leake.  United States district attorney, of Chicago, formerly a citizen of Davenport. In this oration, a most eloquent one, Scott county's part in the war for the Union was most fittingly and feelingly dwelt upon.  Said General Leake:  "Under the call for 75,000 men Iowa's share of three month's men was one regiment.  In this county three companies contended for the honor of entering that regiment.  Our German fellow citizens obtained that distinction and Capt. August Wentz marched the first company out of our county to the theater of war.  He afterward as lieutenant colonel of the Seventh regiment of infantry laid down his life at the battle of Belmont.  The other two companies under the command of Robert M. Littler and J. DeWitt Brewster went into the Second regiment of infantry, followed soon by Capt. Egbert's company in the Second regiment of cavalry, and then by many others. "The number of men liable to military duty in the county was ascertained by reports of the assessors of the various townships making a canvass as directed by a law passed at the extra session of the general assembly held May 1861, to be 4,117.  O that entire number there voluntarily enlisted during the war about two-thirds of the entire number liable to duty in the county.  Almost every family made sacrifices at the altar of country.  During the whole war there was not a battle of importance in which men from Scott county did not have a part.  They participated in the long march, the wearing siege; they pined away in suffering in every southern prison; they left their dead in every soldiers' cemetery.  And now after so many years, we, their fellow citizens, and many of us their companions-in-arms, have the precious privilege of bearing testimony to their virtues and leaving in enduring form for future generations a record of their patriotic sacrifice." Debbie Clough G-erischer G-erischer Family Web Site http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/ Assistant CC, Iowa Gen Web, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ List Manager for: IASCOTT-L * G-erischer-L * D-encker-L Fitzpatirck-L * V-lerebome-L * Huntington-L * Otis-L * Algar-L EIGS-L * Pickens-L * McNab-L * Patris-L - Rankin-L