Franklin County: "Re-Union of the 77th," by unknown, September 28, 1869
Summary: Reprints of toasts offered to President Ulysses S. Grant and the American flag during a regimental reunion.
We have the pleasure of laying before our readers, as promised, the responses to the Toasts-"The President of the United States," by Col. F. S. STUMBAUGH, and "Our Flag," by Capt. G. W. SKINNER-delivered at the Re-Union of the officers and men of the 77th, held at Pittsburg, Pa., on the 9th inst.
Col. F. S. STUMBAUGH, said in response to the toast: "The President of the United States."
Born in Ohio, educated at West Point, participating in the war with Mexico in the Battles of Palo Alto, Resacca and the bloody field of Monterey, under Gen. Zachary Taylor; present at the siege of Very Cruz, under Gen. Winfield Scott; honorably mentioned by his superior and promoted to a Captaincy, for gallant and meritorious conduct at Chepultepec.
In the late war, routs the enemy at Belmont; with the army of the Tennesee, captures Fort Henry and Donnelson; joined by the army of the Cumberland, gains the first great victory of the war, at Shiloh. By strategy, compels the capitulation of Vicksburg; crowned with a complete victory at Chatanooga; fought with the Armies of the Potomac and the James, the battles of the Wilderness; transfers his Army across the James in the face of the enemy; fights a series of well-contested battles-commencing with the siege of Petersburg, and culminating with the surrender of Lee at the Appomatox.
The guiding star of the Union Army during the rebellion, by which we achieved victory over Treason; freed a race of people; saved the Republic-proudly challenging the admiration of the World. Commanding the respect of Nations, and inspiring with fear those who sought by covert means to dis-member the States. Chosen President by a grateful people, and to-day enjoys the full fruition of his patriotism and fidelity to the Country. U. S. GRANT, the Soldier and Statesman. Like GEORGE WASHINGTON, of the Revolution-First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of his Countrymen.
Capt. G. W. SKINNER, responded, as follows to the toast: "Our Flag."
When we hear spoken the works-"Our Flag," our thoughts and feelings naturally
revert to "Our Country," for it is our Country's Ensign. Its Stripes symbolical
of her pristine and its Stars of her present glory. We are reminded that it is
the same Flag before which the proud hosts of England's King George the III were
compelled to bow down in humiliation and conclude terms of peace with the
rebellious colonists; that an insult to it on the high seas, brought about the
war of 1812-justly styled the second war of American Independence. To the ardent
lover of his country, looking back through the dim vista of years to those
earlier struggles of our still youthful Republic, what a halo of glory seems to
encircle the actors in them. All of our Revolutionary sires are now dead, and
almost a century has rolled over the sublime scene of their more than heroic
battles; and yet their sons are still cherishing the noble record of their fathers lives. A few of the men who fought gallantly
in the second war with Great Britain are still living. Here and there they stand
like shattered monuments of a great past. They too, will soon all be gone, but
their fame will not die with them. Not so long as the words of the dying
Lawrence:-"Dont give up the Ship," and the dispatch of Perry: "We have met the
enemy and they are ours,"-find an echo in patriotic hearts-so long shall their
names be lisped on grateful tongues. They are the last living links in the chain
that binds our country's present to its past, and too much cannot be done to
smooth the passage of their declining years. More latterly, we see our gallant
Soldiery, under the leadership of such men as Scott, Taylor, Worth and Butler,
bearing that Flag in triumph across the burning sands of Mexico. Under its folds
from Palo Alto, down to the fight in the streets of her capitol, which ended its
unfurling over the halls of the Montezumas-our army illustrated in the highest
degree the bravery of American Troops when fighting abroad. **** Just here I may
be allowed to add, soldiers of the 77th, that he whose honor it was to bring
back your Regiment from the scene of our late unhappy conflict-a conflict in
which you played no mean part-took part in that war with Mexico; and shared with
those gallant men in the glories of that distant field. With this slight tribute
to the soldiers of those other wars in our country's history-a tribute limited
by the time and necessities of this occasion-I pass to a word in connection with
scenes more familiar to those assembled here to-night. I cannot within the
compass of the time allotted me, treat any subject in a general manner. I will
therefore in what I have to say concerning the war of the rebellion-speak only of our own Regiment and its Flag. The
Flag you bore away with you from this city, in October, 1861, you defended
manfully at Shiloh, and throughout the whole of that week of carnage and blood
on the banks of Stone River. It lead your gallant charge at Liberty Gap-down
across that cornfield where fell Lieut. Thomas
and so many other brave fellows. Though tattered and torn then, you carried its
remnant through the many fights and skirmishes that intervened, up to the field
of Chickamaugua. On that field-a field which
shall be ever memorable to you on account of the fearful decimation worked in
your ranks, you stood by it bravely, and it was only surrendered when he who
carried it had been pinned to the earth by a rebel bayonet, and those who stood
beside him lay dead and dying. We need not blush that we lost our Flag that
night. No one Regiment could have withstood that assault or saved its colors. My
comrades, you remember what a fearful night it was. To adequately describe it,
is far beyond the limit of my poor, feeble powers. To properly realize it, one
must have witnessed it-must have seen the lurid gleam of the flashing
rifles-must have heard the shrieks of the wounded and dying, as they arose far
above the clash and clangor of arms, and the loud notes of deep throated cannon.
It was such a scene as those of us who witnessed, never shall forget, and
remembering, never wish to see again. I wish that in this connection I could
follow our Regiment, and the Flag which re-placed the one we lost at
Chickamauga, through-out the remainder of its bright career-down to the close of
our term of service. But I am warned that I have been speaking already long
enough. That war with all its sad and sickening details is still fresh before
you. It will take years before its effects will pass away from the land. On
every section its blight has fallen with mournful effect. North and South-it has
left its desolation-its anguished hearts and widowed homes. The Southern
Mothers' wild cries meet the Northern Widow's sobs, as together they ascend
Heavenward, while Orphan's tears commingle over
graves where sleep the "Grey and the Blue" in utter forgetfulness of all that is
past. We have met this day and night to renew the companionship of those days
and nights in which we endured common hardships and perils. Tomorrow we go out
again into the world to discharge the duties assigned us in it bust haunts. True
to our country in the past, we will be true to her in the future. We cannot
indeed unlift the veil which hides that future, but we do know that the
influences of the past and present will be brought to bear upon it and help to
mould it. The men of to-day hold in their hands the destinies of our country's
to-morrow. She is now what our fathers made her. She will
be what we choose to constitute her. Let us then labor for her
highest good. Let us strive to heal up the deep wounds of war. Let us exercise a
spirit of mutual forbearance and brotherly love, and in the end we may be
enabled with one accord to exclaim-
"What God in his infinite wisdom
designed,
And armed with republican thunder-
Not all earth's despots
and factions combined,
Have the power to conquer or sunder.
The Union
of lakes-The union of lands-
The Union of States none can sever-
The
Union of hearts-The union of hands,
And the Flag of our union forever."
Bibliographic Information: Source copy consulted: Public Opinion, September 28, 1869
