very far away, but while living I will come around to look in your faces every year. I enjoyed that speech of Colonel Grant's very much indeed. have enjoyed them all tonight. It seems to me that they are better than usual. Of course the others are a little farther off. We may not estimate them properly, but really there is a kind of tenderness and affection about it all that I enjoy. I was thinking. while Colonel Grant was going over his review, how thoroughly he caught the spirit of the great leader. There is one of the British generals who has been rather disposed to depreciate our commander. He said that while General Lee's name would grow brighter and brighter, and greater and greater as time went on, General Grant's reputation would diminish. But it can not. There was a singular comprehensiveness about all that. General Sherman wrote that beautiful letter to him, in which he says: "This looks like war; in all the history of our war we have had nothing like this, all the armies moving together, and for a common purpose." So I am glad to see it so comprehensively put and so emphasized tonight, and I want to say that the more we know about General Grant the more we appreciate him. He was a very modest man. You notice he never pressed himself, never claimed any credit, but gave it to Sheridan, gave it to McPherson, gave it to Sherman, and he gave it to me, he gave it to Logan, he gave it to Blair, he gave it to all of us, but he never claimed any for himself. Now, it is our duty and our privilege to look into these things and see how truly large his plans were, how he gave such wonderful freedom to every one in all these armies, so that each general could do something for himself: Sheridan could clean out the valley and protect Washington, and get the credit. He could ride his horse from Winchester back to save his army and the country. Sherman could act freely, conceive of his going across to the sea, write about it earnestly, urge it, finally get his permission, and then go on in his rapid course to complete his work. And so with each one, perfectly free and yet fulfilling the general plan of the General himself. That was war. That was war carried on under a comprehensive system of a large mind. I stood beside them in battle-General Grant, General Thomas, General Sherman, General Logan, General Blair, General Dodge, and today the recollection is so clear it seems to me as though it was but yesterday. But the time comes when we are mustered out, one after another. But we must not think it is a bad thing. Why is it? We are simply transferred from one shore to the other. Let us look forward to it with pleasure. Go on; those who remain after we go, cheer away; keep your hearts glad. I saw a little girl once, in the Salvation army, singing, "Joy, joy, joy," and she says, "Why don't you sing? If you sing, perhaps you will get the joy in your own heart." So I say, Go on with your joy, go on with your glorious occasions; keep it up to the last man, and then meet us on the other shore, and we will rejoice together. An enthusiastic call was made for Mrs. Logan, who was escorted to the platform by Colonel Cadle, and addressed the meeting as follows: I need not ask to be excused for putting on my spectacles for the purpose of reading something that will not be new to you, and which will recall the first reunion of the Army of the Tennessee. To the Army of the Tennessee: That's never known defeat, Whose war cry's "Ever onward," SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y., June 1, 1865. You are respectfully invited to attend a grand reunion of the officers and ex-officers of the Army of the Tennessee at Union Hotel, Saratoga Springs, on the 4th of July, 1865, to celebrate the anniversary of the fall of Vicksburg, the opening of the Mississippi river and the termination of that campaign which numbered among its captures Ft. Henry, Ft. Donelson, Nashville, Corinth and Memphis. A dinner will be given under the direction of the senior proprietor of the hotel, Major W. W. Leland, formerly Chief Commissary of the Army of the Tennessee. Our old chief, Lieutenant-General Grant, is expected to be present and preside at the dinner. MAJOR-GENERAL J. A. LOGAN, This is a copy of the invitation to attend the first reunion of the Army of the Tennessee. Every name borne on this invitation save that of Major-General R. J. Oglesby is now enrolled upon the roll of the departed. And, alas, where are the gallant legions that composed that invincible army? Thousands went down before the foe, and thousands more have fallen before the scythe of that implacable monster-death. The few that assemble annually at the symposiums of the Society might with propriety follow the ghastly example of the famous band of English officers in India, when thair army was mowed down by pestilence, they reverently drank to the next to cross the dark and turbid river, so sure were they that they were to fellow each other in quick succession. Vacant seats greet you at every meeting. The roll grows shorter and shorter, and in a few brief years the Army of the Tennessee will cease to gather together to tell of midnight marches, wading through swamps, scaling rugged mountains, trudging through storms of pelting rain or freezing snows, or the scorching rays of a Southern sun, or the hair-breadth escapes in hand-to-hand encounters. But the sons of these illustrious sires will perpetuate the Army of the Tennessee, by annual reunions to tell of what their fathers did to save the Union. Having seen this great army soon after its organization, before they began their long marches, or their ranks had been depleted by the casualties of battle, disease and time-the few that remain seem but the rear guard of rapidly retreating legions. And, though debarred by my sex from being a member of the Army of the Tennessee, I felt in the days of its glory all the enthusiasm, sympathy and pride that could have been felt by the most active member, rejoicing when they rejoiced; wept when they were sad; kept the midnight vigils when they were intrenched or under arms; grieved over their losses; bound up the wounds of the wounded; visited the hospitals; comforted, as far as I could, their loved ones at home when not following in their wake; gloried then and glory now in their achievements, and love to hear the old stories of all they did told over again. The veriest "bummer" that followed Sherman from Atlanta to the sea commands my admiration and veneration, and while life lasts, I shall lose no opportunity to laud and magnify the names of the heroes of the Army of the Tennessee. One of the proudest records on the escutcheon of not the least of the commanders of the Army of the Tennessee is that he won that honor by his valor after the beloved McPherson had fallen. Commander nor command never knowing defeat, they followed where he led, and all the hosts of Inferno could not have stood against them. His children's children will revere the memory of that army as inseparably connected with the name and fame of their illustrious grandsire. You would be recreant to the memory of McPherson, Harlow, Morgan, Giles A. and John E. Smith, Strong, Blair, Mower, Jeff. C. Davis, Logan and Sherman (the last to leave you), if you did not meet at least annually, and by such programmes as we have had to-night keep their memories green. Hunt up the sons and eligible successors and fill the vacant places, even if you have to nominate the daughters where unfortunately there are no sons; authorize the bachelors to name their successors. Do not let the roster grow shorter, or, as the printers say, "be killed," because the heroes have all joined the great majority in that land from whence there is no returning. Let coming generations know the magnitude of the cost of the restoration of the Union. Let them forgive, but not forget, the cause of all the sacrifice their loyal ancestors made. Teach them the difference between loyalty and disloyalty, to the end that should trouble come again to our country, every descendant of any member of the Army of the Tennessee may be found among its defenders. Tattoo was sounded, and the meeting adjourned. SECOND DAY. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH, 1895. The meeting was called to order at 10 A. M. by the President, General Dodge, who said: The first business before the meeting is the reading of the journal of the last meeting. Colonel Barnum:-I move that the reading of the journal be dispensed with. The motion prevailed. The President:-The next is the receiving of reports of committees. The first report is upon location. Major Hoyt Sherman:-Mr. President, the committee on place of holding the next meeting beg leave to report that having received a cordial invitation from members of the Society resident at the city of St. Louis, we unanimously recommend that city as the place of holding our meeting next year. On motion of Captain Fegan, the report was adopted. Colonel Grant:-Mr. President, as chairman of the committtee on orator, I have the honor to report that the committee has selected General O. O. Howard as the orator for next year, and Colonel Augustus Jacobson as the alternate. On motion of Captain Sexton, the report was adopted. The President:-The next is the report of the committee on officers. The committee on nomination of officers, through Captain Sexton, its chairman, presented the following report: FOR PRESIDENT, General G. M. Dodge, of Iowa. FOR CORRESPONDING SECRETARY, General A. Hickenlooper, Cincinnati. FOR TREASURER, General M. F. Force, Sandusky, O. FOR RECORDING SECRETARY, |