Veterans at Shiloh ~ 45th anniversary

VETERANS OF SHILOH

Posted By: Tim West (email)
Date: 12/31/2004 at 23:27:02

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.