Colonel Betts here called on Comrade Wm. M. Murdoch, who gave a number of cavalry calls on the same bugle used by him during the war. Colonel Betts: I intend to call on several of our comrades, and now ask Comrade Judge Weand for a few remarks. C ADDRESS OF HON. H. K. WEAND, CAPTAIN. OMRADES, notwithstanding the fact that peace now reigns, and that I am just of an age to escape the draft, Colonel Betts again orders me on duty, and as usual I obey his command. He has asked me to speak of reminiscences, a subject sometimes delicate to handle, for when one comrade begins to tell others of his own experiences he is apt to be put to rout by those he is addressing, for each cld soldier thinks his own recollections the more accurate, and his own experiences the most remarkable. But, to-day, standing on this sacred battlefield, and on the very spot made memorable to us by our own part in the engagement, there is something in which we have a common interest, and the same thoughts will occur to all. It is indeed a remarkable event in our lives to thus revisit these scenes, after a lapse of thirty-four years. How different the occasions! Then we heard the roar of artillery and the crash of battle, the groans of the wounded and dying, the charge and the mad flight. To-day, a beautiful autumn day, the air breathing quietness and rest-these silent monuments and torn trees are the only evidences of that dreadful combat. We can all recall our march from Stevenson with our gallant leader, Rosecrans; our entry into Chattanooga around the point of Lookout, and our exultation at the thought that the capture of this important stronghold had so crippled the Confederacy that the end must soon be near. You will recollect also our first reconnoissance to Lee & Cordon's Mill, and our bivouac that night, after a hard day's march within the enemy's lines, and our sudden and quiet withdrawal into Chattanooga, when the fact was discovered. The prominent names seem as familiar as though we had passed our lives here. Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Crawfish Spring, Pigeon Cove, Wauhatchie, Widow Glenn's, Dyer House, Lee & Gordon's Mill, are all names the very mention of which brings back to some comrade an event in his experience of the days of '63 and '64, and make us feel as though for a brief period we were living over again the days of yore. Standing now on the very ground where we were feeding our horses when the disaster of the battle occurred, we see before us the Dyer House, in front of us was the commanding general's headquarters, and from which came the order for us to mount and endeavor to stop the retreat. To the left of the Dyer House is the ridge on which we formed with drawn sabres and endeavored to gather our retreating forces, and from which the advancing columns of Longstreet soon drove us with the others. To our rear is the gap through which we retreated in good order to the place where we formed in line and waited until night for an expected attack from the rebel cavalry. It was, indeed, a sad night when we found our way back to Chattanooga, thinking that our army had been badly beaten and that a retreat was impossible. But we did not then know that the heroic Thomas was standing as a rock to hold the too exultant enemy at bay, and that all was not lost. Standing here to-day and reviewing the scenes of the past, we forget the hardships and sufferings we then endured and think only of the happy results of the conflict, a united country with the blot of slavery obliterated, the happy consciousness of knowing that victory was for the right, and that the north and south are again happily reunited in stronger bonds of friendship, and that in the hearts of all true Americans there still exists a belief in that immortal sentiment, "Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!" And now, comrades, as we meet here to-day, our hearts should be filled with thanks to Almighty God that so many of us are spared to participate in these ceremonies; and to our great State of Pennsylvania that she has, by these monuments, immortalized her patriotic citizens who laid down their lives in defense of their country, and for her generosity in thus enabling us to be here present on this eventful day. MR ADDRESS OF PRIVATE A. M. STICKNEY. R. PRESIDENT:-My comrades, the previous speakers, have told you that they came before you only in answer to the call of duty; so it is with me. The Colonel has called upon me, and so I obey. Should I prove an infliction, I pray you will place the blame where it belongs, for this is none of my seeking. I am here not as a representative of those who participated in the stirring scenes which marked this field more than thirty years ago, but to say a word in behalf of those who joined your ranks later. In short, I am put up as one of the babies of the regiment. Not having been here, I cannot speak of events connected with Chickamauga, but what of that? We are not here to relate individual exploits; we are not here for self-glorification; but we are here to speak for the old regiment as a whole. While it may be true that I did not cover myself with personal glory during the time I served with you, yet I take unto myself a goodly share of the glory of the regiment by reflection, as it were, for the history of the Fifteenth forms a glorious page in our military annals. It has often been asked why a history of the Fifteenth has not been written. It would be impossible so to do, in detail, for the history of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry is that of all the armies which operated here in these parts. One cannot find a movement of any importance, any event of note, wherein the Fifteenth, as a regiment, battalion, company, squad, or at least, as represented by an individual, was not a factor. Their bravery in action has been well proven by the fact that five medals of honor fell to the lot of our organization, and one of these at this moment hangs on the breast of good Colonel Betts. Did we not furnish body-guards and orderlies for many of our generals? Were not our men called upon in many a case of emergency, as, for instance, when Blackmar, Lingerfield and one other whose name I do not recall, were sent to bring up re-enforcements in this very battle of Chickamauga? What you were made of is shown by what you have done since. Have we not had four or five of our members serving as officers in the regular cavalry? Have we not to-day three of our men serving as colonels in your own National Guards? Have we not, at least, two judges taken from our members? Have we not lawyers and doctors and ministers, and successful business men without number? But why go on in this strain. You all know what the regiment was. Now, comrades, I must come to a close; but not before saying one more word about how I came to become a member of your regiment. I was just finishing a term of service in an infantry battalion. With several others, I had not had enough of the war, so, to the number of fifteen, I believe, we looked about for a regiment in which we could go. We found a lieutenant of the Fifteenth on recruiting service, and he gave such a glowing account of your merits and achievements that we decided to cast our lot with you. We came and joined you at Wauhatchie. I am proud of having had the honor of being one of you, and the richest heritage I can leave my children is the fact that, in the roll of honor, the roster of the Pennsylvania troops, they can point to my name as one of the gallant Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry. C ADDRESS OF CAPTAIN BYRON O. CAMP. OMRADES and Friends:-On the train bearing us to Chattanooga last evening our distinguished and beloved Colonel, Charles M. Betts, requested me to detail a few reminiscences of the early history of our regiment, and in so doing I must say that it is with deep emotions of sorrow and pleasure that we meet on this sacred spot to dedicate this beautiful monument erected by the Keystone State to the memory of the old Fifteenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry. Of pleasure, because it is always a pleasure to meet our comrades upon all reunion occasions; of sorrow, when we were reminded by the numerous monuments erected all over these battlefields that thirty thousand men, brave and true, went down in the mighty conflict in which they were engaged. We may speak of the ravages of time, of the herculean deeds of past ages, associating great and memorable achievements with the march of years and centuries, but the heroic deeds of the brave men who fell upon these fields and the valor of those who survived the shock of battle, will ever mark an epoch in the nation's history worthy the memory of ages. In midsummer of 1862, word came to my northern home that in the city of Philadelphia there was being organized a regiment to be known as the "Anderson Cavalry." Upon the receipt of this information I went to the "City of Brotherly Love," and on the 17th day of August, 1862, enlisted in this famous regiment and was immediately sent to Carlisle, Pa., where upon the 22d day of August, 1862, I was mustered into the United States service with the regiment, for the period of three years, at Camp Alabama, by Captain D. Hastings of the United States Army. We were immediately placed under the instructions of competent drill masters, sergeants of the regular army, the benefit of whose discipline we received for two months. Before the expiration of this time, however, or the completion of the regimental organization, for not more than one-fourth of the officers, either commissioned or non-commissioned, had yet been appointed, we were summoned to meet the foe on the sacred soil of our native State. During this invasion the regiment made a tour down the Cumberland Valley, passing through the towns of Newville and Shippensburg to Chambersburg. Here we shouldered the musket as infantry and marched to Greencastle. It now became a military necessity to press into service all the horses possible, and in a short time two hundred of the regiment were mounted, presenting a bold front and holding the enemy in check until re-enforcements, the emergency men, arrived from Harrisburg. At the battle of Antietam one of the regiment was killed, and our brave and gallant Colonel William J. Palmer, taken prisoner while on an important mission absent from his regiment and exposed to personal danger. During this battle, with a small scouting party, I marched to Williamsport, on the Potomac River, as it was thought the rebels would attempt a crossing at Dam No. 10. This supposition proved a reality, for we had no sooner reached the river than heavy cannonading was heard from the Virginia side, protecting their advance while crossing the Potomac. We hastily rode back to Hagerstown and informed Major General Reynolds, commanding the Pennsylvania militia, that the enemy were effecting a crossing near Williamsport. An advance was ordered and a line of battle formed, consisting mostly of militia. The rebels retreated, making good their escape up the Shenandoah Valley toward Richmond. The campaign having ended, we returned to Carlisle the latter part of September and resumed our duties at Camp Alabama. The pleasurable things enjoyed all through this campaign were apple butter, peaches and many other good things to eat which this rich and luxurious valley of the Cumberland produced in great abundance. Within our belts and blouses we stowed away a peck at a time of the peaches for use while on the march. Having got there first, we took them instead of the "Johnnies." About the 1st of November the regiment left Carlisle to join the Army of the Cumberland in Tennessee, and we arrived in Louisville, Kentucky, about the middle of the month. We were immediately armed, mounted and equipped. Here we remained one month, drilling and acquainting ourselves with the new order of things. Among the many amusing incidents, I relate the "raw recruit" trying to ride on horseback, both horse and rider being green in the service. The horse would plunge and try to throw his rider; the latter, forgetting his spurs, clung tight to the horse, embedding the sharp points in the animal's sides, which furiousy charged across the drill-field, never stopping until the rider was dislodged from his back and lay sprawling on the ground. It was here that I stuffed with hard-tack, salt and pepper my first goose; sat up all night to boil her tender, then, after a stew down in the kettle, what a feast for the "mess" was that, my countrymen! The first week in December following we commenced our long and fatiguing march to Nashville, Tennessee. Time will not permit me to refer to the many interesting occurrences which transpired during this tedious journey. While encamped at Bowling Green, Kentucky, details from each company were sent out to scour the country in search of the rebel chieftain, John Morgan. This was done during a furious and chilling rain storm, not at all enjoyed by the then inexperienced regiment. We finally arrived at Nashville the latter part of December, in time to participate in the battle of Stone River, where many of our men and both of our majors were killed. During the winter of 1863, Colonel Palmer returned from captivity and rejoined the regiment, and the organization was then thoroughly completed and put on a war footing. And now, comrades, gathered as we are on this memorable spot, where the blood of patriots was spilled that a nation might live, let us resolve anew our allegiance to our country's flag, and say: "Thou, too, sail en, oh Ship of State, Our hearts, our hopes, are all with thee, Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears, Our faith triumphant o'er our fears, Are all with thee,-are all with thee." |