Page images
PDF
EPUB

400 miles longer than the "direct line." The Board of Directors in Montreal then called on our United States experienced engineers, and found a man, Randolph, I believe, who undertook to cut across this great bend or loop. Instead of following the west branch of Fraser river, he took the east branch, "Thompson's," up to the Kamloop's Lake. The mountains eastward seemed impassable, but he reasoned "where there is a will, there is a way." Through brush and trees he forced his way, and found a pass in the Cascade range called “ Kicking Horse," where his horse had kicked him on the knee. Persevering, he, in the next or main range, observed the flight of an eagle, which did not, as usual, pass over the highest visible peak but disappeared around a point; so he followed the same course, found an unexpected break and located a railroad with less grades than the Union Pacific, and saved a distance of four hundred miles, or two hundred millions of dollars. In looking over the usual time-tables of the "Canadian Pacific," you will find the "Kicking Horse Pass" and "Eagle Pass," through which millions of people will travel and millions of dollars of freight will pass. All are, in part, the consequence of our civil

war, and of the men it educated.

General Dodge's most admirable paper will be embraced in our next annual report.

General Belknap:-I have a communication from Mrs. Mary A. Reid, addressed to you [the President], asking for the designation of her son to membership in the Society. He is a son of General Hugh T. Reid, who was a brigadier-general in the Army of the Tennessee.

GENERAL W. T. SHERMAN,

KEOKUK, IOWA, May 25, 1888.

President Society of the Army of the Tennessee:

GENERAL:-My late husband, General Hugh T. Reid, member of your Society, died without designating in his will or other writing the relative to whom his membership should descend. His eldest son died without leaving any male issue; and hereby relinquishing my right as widow to such membership, I hereby designate and request that my youngest son by him, and his namesake, Hugh T. Reid, be selected to such membership. Very respectfully,

M. A. REID,

Widow of General Hugh T. Reid.

The President :-I understand, General Belknap, you make a motion that he be admitted?

General Belknap :—I don't know the usual course on that.

The Recording Secretary :-It only requires the approval of the President and a vote of the Society.

The President :-I will approve of it, of course.

General Belknap :-I move that he be admitted.

The motion was seconded and carried.

The Recording Secretary :-I have a communication addressed to me, which may be considered endorsed to you [the President] of the same character, from Monroeville, Ohio.

MONROEVILLE, OHIO, August 14, 1888.

COLONEL L. M. DAYTON,

Cincinnati, Ohio:

DEAR SIR:-I am in receipt of a favor from you, under date of February 9, 1888, in which you very kindly offer to present my request to take up my father's membership in the Society of the Army of the Tennessee.

If you will do so at the next meeting of the Society, it will be much appreciated. I will remit my father's dues and what may be due from me upon my election, if you will kindly notify me at that time.

I have complete records of the reunions, including Volume XVI, but have none since that volume. I should like to secure complete records to date, if possible.

Respectfully yours,

JOHN D. SKILTON,

Son of Captain A. S. Skilton (deceased).

The Recording Secretary:-Captain A. S. Skilton was a member with full dues and everything all paid up to this time.

The President:-Gentlemen, you have heard the proposition. I will approve it on the representation made.

Major Dawes:-I move that the young man be elected.

The motion prevailed.

The President:-I heard of a proposition from McCook's sonEd. McCook. There was no formal application made by Mr. McCook.

General Pearson:-He spoke to me the other day at Chicago. and also his mother, about his joining the Society. He wanted to come in and take up where his father left off. He was perfectly willing to pay the dues, but I don't know—

The President:-Will you make the motion?

General Pearson:-I will.

The President:-Give us the name.

General Pearson:-Charles W. McCook, a son of Edward McCook, the one who was killed at Youngtown, Dakota. I know the young man personally very well. He is in business in Chicago-an exemplary young man.

Mr. McCook was elected a member of the Society.

The Recording Secretary:-In this connection, the third amendment to the constitution, which provides for this, says "that each member may, subject to the approval of the President and a majority vote of the Society, at any annual meeting, designate by last will and testament, or otherwise, in writing, the relative to whom his membership shall descend, and in default of such designation, the same shall, subject to the same approval and vote, descend to his eldest son, and such membership, so descending, shall carry with it all the rights, privileges and obligations of original memhership."

was

Captain Williams:-As I understand it, this young man voted in under that article, the centennial year, at Washington City.

The President:-Another McCook?

Captain Williams:-Ed. McCook's son.

The President:-Was he elected in Washington?

Captain Williams:-In Washington City, yes, sir.

The President:-Why didn't he apply. Was his father a mem ber of the Society?

The Recording Secretary:-Yes.

General Hickenlooper:-I think the circumstances were: that application was made at that time, and some action was pending, and considerable correspondence ensued, and it was carried on for a considerable length of time, based upon the question as to whether McCook, at the time of his death, was a member of th Society. That question was never settled until this morning; now Colonel Dayton reports that he was a member, and there it rests.

General Buckland:-I wish to call the attention of the Society to that one point suggested by General Hickenlooper. Surgeon Canfield, who was killed at Shiloh, left two sons, both of them reputable young men, who, I understand, are anxious-the oldest one-to become a member of this Society. I heard from him the other day. It seems to me that an officer, who was killed, belonging to the Army of the Tennessee-who lost his life in battle before the Society was organized—that his sons ought to come in on the same terms-that they should be considered as members of this Society.

The President:-You had better write to Mrs. Canfield to make an application; we will entertain it.

Colonel Dresser:-I would suggest that the constitution of the Society would have to be amended in order to have that done.

The President:-This Society is a strange one. It was organized at Raleigh-rather a social order than an attempt to recognize military service or military merit. It was simply to prolong the life of the officers, who happened to belong to it when it was there. The newspapers misunderstand us. We never attempted to receive privates. It is social. If you don't bring in some young blood, the old fellows will be very soon gone. I think I am stating fairly and clearly the sentiment; certainly bring them in-sons. Perhaps I wouldn't limit it to one of a member, I wouldn't limit to only two, or a dozen; let them all come in. Still it is the rule now. An amendment to the constitution requires a year's notice.

We want to adjourn. We will meet again to-morrow at 11 o'clock. We will have plenty of time for a discussion of all these subjects.

A motion to adjourn will be in order.

General Buckland:-Allow me to suggest one other thing; would it not be advisable to make an amendment to the constitution to admit one son at least whilst the father is living, so as to bring them together, and have them get acquainted.

The President:-I wish you would think the matter over and write it off. You get a book like this (Annual Report), and take that article of our constitution, and make any amendment you please. That requires a year's notice, you see.

[ocr errors]

General Buckland:-It seems to me with the position of our Society now, such an amendment would be a good thing.

General Fuller:-Before you adjourn, I want to say one thing. The Committee of Arrangements have asked our citizens to send their carriages to the Boody House, where most of you have rooms, to show you our city this afternoon. It has grown vastly in size since you were here fifteen years ago, and we want you to see it; and the carriages of many of our citizens will be there, and be at your disposal, at 3 o'clock this afternoon.

The Society adjourned until to-morrow morning at 11 o'clock. The same, however, to cover the holding of the meeting this evening.

« PreviousContinue »