When the call was issued, a few weeks ago, through the Columns of the Cresset, for a Soldier's Reunion, at Medicine Lodge we had but little idea that so large and enthusiastic a Company of veterans could be gathered away out on the frontier, as met in the Stolp Hall on Saturday. All day Friday, they kept Coming in by little squads of twos and threes, and at night part of them lit their camp fires on the grove after the fashion of war days and as the importunate mosquito put in his bill for rent of his territory, we suppose they visited again, in dreams, the fields of battle, and imagined they were suddenly charged by the enemy with fixed bayonets. We say part; for all that gallant band did not sleep the sleep of innocence, nor dream of gory fields, for we saw some of those battle scarred heroes threading the mazes of the dance, and snaking their lily white hoofs in breakdowns that would have done credit to professionals.But, while Friday and Friday evening thus passed off pleasantly, Saturday was the GRAND day of the Reunion and the one which the boys will not soon forget. They had affected an organization on Friday, with the following officers:
President - A.W. Rumsey
Secretary - S. B. Johnson
Marshall - B.F. Walker
Executive Committee - Messrs. Williams, Hanks, Magill, Chapin and Wornstall, and were now ready for business in hand. The roll was called and the following names responded to:Capt. B.P. Ayers, Co. I, 2nd Kas, I
Jacob Billings, Co.D. 1st Ind. Cav.
Fred Bunker, U.S.N. Hartford flagship
Jess. Cargyle, Co. H, 7th Mo. Cav.
John Castine, Co. E, 3d Iowa Inf.
John Chapin, Capt 37th Mo. Cavalry.
T.H. Clark, Co K 38th Iowa Vols.
J.W. Cornelius, Co. A, 56th Ky. Inf.
Scott Cummins, Co. A, 3d Iowa Cav
W.H. Curtis, Co. F. 36th Ill. Vet. Vol.
Harry Davis, Co. B. 33d Ind. Vol. Inf.
E.M. Dixon, 14th Ky. Vol. Inf.
G.A. Dole, Co. F, 3rd Iowa Cavalry.
Wm. Doles, Co. K. 39th Ohio Inf.
C.S. Durbin, Co. E., 119th Ill. Vol.
Jno. Easley, Co. A, 28th Ill. Vet. Vol.
G.W. Ebersole, Co. A, 20th Ohio Vet. Vol.
J.R. Eldred, Co. D. 21st Ill. Infantry
Jas. B. Fox, Co. K. 33rd Iowa Inf
W.M. Friedley, Co. I, 67th Ind. Inf.
Wm. Garrison, Co. G, 8th Mo. Cav.
Elias Gibbs, Co. D. 11th Kas. Cav.
M.B. Gilbert, Co. H. 8th Iowa Inf.
J.H. Gill, Co. B, 8th Mo. S.M.
J.W. Hanks, Co. F, 3rd Mo. Vol. Cav.
A. Hewger, Co. B, 9th Kas. Vol. Cav.
Jacob Horne, Co. F, 15th Kas. Vol. Cav.
Taylor Horne, Co. F, 15th Kas. Vol. Cavalry.
F.B. Hunt, Chief of ordinance, 6th Div. Army of the Cumberland.
T.J. Huchins, Co. H 1st Ark.Cav
Ness Iliff, Co. F, 3d Iowa Inf.
S.B. Johnson, Co. G., 14th Ky. Vol.Cav.
L. Lockert, Co. C, 3rd Ind. Ohio Bat.
D.F. Lucas, Co. E, 15th Kas, Vol.
J.W. Magill, Co. K, 1st Lien, vol.inf.
C.L. Mann, Co. E, 3d Mich. Vol. reinlisted in 35th Mich.
R. Marshall, Co. I 14 Ky. Vol. Cavalry.
W.A. McWilliams, Co, C 12th Kas. Volunteers
F.G. Olds, Co. 1, 11th Kansas.
Cal Order, U.S.N. Frigate Santee
Geor. D. Orner, Co. C, 33rd Ind. Vet. Volunteers.
H. Oxenreider, Co. G., 10th Iowa inf.
M.L. Palmer, Co. A. 2nd Wis. Vol.
Capt. H. Pardee, Co H. 7th Kas. Cav.
C.T. Rigg, Co. K. 142nd Ind. Vols.
A.W. Rumsey, Chicago Merchantile Battery
J.M. Shepy, Co. L, 1st Minn. Heavy Artillery.
C.B. Shuts, Co. G. 20th Ohio Inf.
Eli Smith, Co. F. 12th Ohio Cavalry
Jas. Springer, Co. G, 7th Kas. Vol. cavalry.
C.W. Steele, Co. C. 69th Ind Vol Inf.
Jacob Swank, Co. E, 34th Iowa and Co. C, 13th Iowa Vol.
S.L. Swingle, Co .B, 2nd Pa. Inf.
J.T. Taylor, Co. A, 8th Mo. Cavalry
W.H. Thompson CoI, 83d Ill. Vols.
H.C. Thompson, Co. C. 35th Mo. Inf.
H.E. VanTrees, 6th Ind., Infantry
J.A. Underwood, Co. E., 2nd Ill. Cav.
W.G. Underwood, Co. D, 64th Ill. Volunteers
D. Updegraff, Kas. S. M.
J.W. Upperman, Co. B, 33d Ill.Vet. Volunteers.
M. VanSlyke, Co. C, 19th Kas. Cav.
B.F. Walker, Co. K, 3rd Ky. Vol.Cav.
Wm. Walt, Co. F, 14th Iowa Inf.
John J. Weber, Co. K, 2nd Mo. Inf.
W.H. Weidner, 2nd Kas. Cav.
T.P. Whitaker, Co. F., 14th Ky. Vol. infantry
W.E. Williams, Co. K, 2nd Md. Vol.
Geo. E. Wise, U.S. Ironclad Kaetskill
R.M. Woodard, Co. F, 6th W.Va Cav.
Noah Wornststall, Co. C, 135th O. Inf.
I. Wyatt, Co. C, 2nd Kas. Vol Cav.The opening address was made by Capt. B.P. Ayers, and seldom have we had the pleasure of listening to an address more eloquent and full of feeling. The ice once broken, speeches came thick and fast, all of them worthy of special mention did not space forbid. When the border men told how they had braved public sentiment, how some of them had been obliged to leave their homes and hide for months in the bushes, all that they might fight for their Country and their Country's flag, we saw the eyes of strong men fill with tears and a cheer rang out for the leal hearted patriots. When W.E. Williams, who spent ten weary months at Andersonville, told how the boys had found a captured flag and hid it beneath the lining of one of their coats, carried it through privation and untold suffering until at last they were restored to freedom, the affecting story touched again the golden chords of sympathy and the Stars and Stripes seemed dearer than before.
Altogether, the Reunion was a most pleasant one. The soldiers who celebrated it, representing almost every northern and border State, forgot State and party lines and struck hands with one common sentiment. "One flag and one Union."
May they never again be called upon to defend that principle on bloody fields, or hear again the sound of battle, except as fancy bears it from the mystic land of dreams, or memory calls it up in mimic play within her shadowy theater.
Also see:
Wm. E. Williams: Story Of An Andersonville Prisoner,
The Medicine Lodge Cresset, October 31, 1879.Grand Army of the Republic Officers Elected
Barber County Index, December 18, 1901.Obituary: David N. Morlan Civil War Veteran,
Barber County Index, February 10, 1909.Barbour County, KS 1883 List of Pensioners on the Roll
Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kansas, Vol. 1. - 1861-1865.
G. A. R. GIVES LEGION CHARTER FOR SAFE KEEPING
Barber County Index, June 22, 1930.
Thanks to Kim Fowles for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site and to Landon Fowles for providing technical assistance to her.