[see Survivor's Association]
NEWS OF INTEREST TO THE VETERANS
Celebrations of the Battle of Fredericksburg Held by Many Organizations.
SOME PAST ELECTIONS
Doings of the Week Among the Wearers of the Honored Blue. Notes From City Post Rooms.
Many posts and veteran organizations held celebrations of the battle of Fredericksburg on Monday night. The One-Hundred-and-Twenty-first Regiment met for the event in Ashworth Post Hall 334, Frankford. There were forty-three members present, and the following officers were elected for the coming year: President, Louis Clapper; vice-presidents, William D. Baldwin and Chas. Barlow; secretary, John Galbrath; treasurer, Joshua Garsen.
After the election speeches were made by Comrades Gregson, Wood and Baldwin, after which [sic] songs were given by Messrs. Kay, Whalen, Wardell and Harper. Music was furnished by Ward's orchestra.
On the same evening about twenty-five survivors of the old Seventy-second Regiment assembled at 902 North Sixteenth street, upon the invitation and as the guests of Colin M. Beale. At 8 o'clock the veterans had all arrived and as everybody was acquainted with everybody else formalities and introductions were not necessary. Comrade Beale turned over the entire premises to the survivors and requested that the "boys" make themselves right at home, which they did. An hour or so was occupied in general conversation, music, songs, stories, etc., and about 9.30 lunch was announced. The boys repaired to the dining room where full justice was done to the ample repast which had been prepared for them. It is sufficient to say that the supper was served up in Seventy-second Regiment style--everything A No. 1. After the inner man had been satisfied the veterans adjourned to the upper floor where more songs, stories, recitations were in-indulged [sic] in until midnight. As the survivors took their departure each was presented with a souvenir of unique design--a box of candy representing an army ration--pork, beans and hard tack, having on the top the corps mark, a clover leaf and the figures "72" in red. The box was blue. Colonel A. J. Sellers, of the Ninetieth Regiment, and Comrade McCuen, of the Seventy-first, were the only invited guests outside of the Seventy-second boys.
The Association of the One Hundred and Fourteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, known as Collis' Zouaves, on Monday night held their annual reunion at Taylor Post, on Marshall street, below Girard avenue, in celebration of the anniversary of the battle of Frederickburg, and unanimously adopted the following resolutions:
"Whereas, This regimental association has heard of the unwarranted attacks made by certain newspapers in the city of New York upon the character and reputation of our old commanding officer, General Charles H. T. Collis, as an officer and soldier, it is hereby
"Resolved, That this association of his old comrades, in annual meeting assembled, hereby express our condemnation of this attack and further express our approbation of our old commander's character and bearing as a soldier and officer."
Men who fought at Fredericksburg thirty-five years ago sang the old war songs over again and repeated the oft-told but always interesting story of the trenches and the camp-fire on Monday night at the thirty-first annual reunion of the Ninety-First Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Early in the evening a business meeting was held in the hall of Post 2, G.A.R., Twelfth street above Wallace, at which Colonel Eli G. Sellers was re-elected President; William Faust, Vice-President; Henry C. Sinex, Treasurer, and A.D.W. Caldwell, Secretary. Later on the old soldiers adjourned to No. 1206 Spring Garden street, where the annual banquet was served.
There were more missing faces since the last festive occasion, showing how the ranks are dwindling year by year. At the battle of Fredericksburg the Ninety-first went in with nearly 800 men, and of these they lost 200. More fell, as they fought in Humphrey's division of the old Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac, at Spottsylvania, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. Now there are scarcely more than three score survivors left to greet each other at the association gatherings. Among the guests last night, several of whom made speeches, were General Thomas J. Stewart, Past Department Commander; Chaplain John W. Sayers, ex-Representative-at-Large John F. Lovett, of Trenton; Charles Rodenbaugh, Jacob Everhart, Charles F. Kennedy, Adjutant of Post 2; General Charles L. Leiper, Assistant Adjutant-General of the Department, and N. G. Wilson, of Gettysburg.
General G. K. Warren Post, No. 15, G.A.R., of Manayunk, has elected the following officers: Commander, Robert Baxter; Senior Vice-Commander, John McLaren; Junior Vice-Commander, Adam Lloyd; Quartermaster, Joseph Stickle; Chaplain, Samuel [illegible]; Surgeon, Archie McMonagle; Officer of the Day, John Shuster; Ordnance Sergeant, John Rumser; Council of Administration, J. J. Fisher; Trustees, James Wilkins, P. McAdam, William Nuttal, Joseph Stickle, William R. Wartenby; Delegates to Encampment, M. Conlom, J. J. Fisher; Alternates, Joseph McNeill and Samuel Kay.
Encampment No. 20 Veteran Legion, of Third street and Girard avenue; Encampment No. 63, of Manayunk, and Encampment No. 73 visited Encampment No. 87, of Camden, on Monday night with a large delegation and had a grand reunion. They were royally received. A camp fire was held, followed by a lunch. The Ladies' Aid of the Manayunk Encampment No. 20 invited the Camden Encampment and No. 63 and No. 73 to be present at the installation of the newly-elected officers on the third Tuesday in January.
The date for the next national Grand Army encampment has been fixed for the week beginning September 5.