SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL

REUNION

OF THE

17^TH REGIMENT C.V.I.,

--HELD AT-

FAIRFIELD, CONN.,

AUGUST 28^TH, 1883.

BRIDGEPORT, CONN.:

THE STANDARD ASSOCIATION, PRINTERS.

1884

PROGRAMME

OF THE

SEVENTEENTH CONNECTICUT VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION

AND

RECEPTION BY THE TOWN OF FAIRFIELD

ORDER OF EXERCISES

MORNING

AFTERNOON

Comrades re-form and march to the Depot at 4:30 P.M. 

SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL RE-UNION

The comrades met at the depot upon the arrival of the morning trains. Line was formed at 9:30 A. M., when preceded by the Wheeler & Wilson Band, under a mounted escort of the Citizen's Committee of Fairfield, the Association marched through the principal streets to the Town Hall, where an eloquent speech of welcome was made by the Hon. William B. Glover, Representative of the Town, and Judge of the Probate Court. Many of the residences and buildings along the line of march were beautifully decorated with flags and mottoes of welcome

ADDRESS OF WELCOME

Judge Glover said:

SURVIVORS OF THE SEVENTEENTH:--It becomes, to-day, my pleasant task and duty in behalf of the Town of Fairfield and its citizens, to welcome you to our village.

In friendly greeting, in token of our honor, appreciation and esteem, we extend to you the right hand and warm grasp of brotherhood and affection. In foreign countries there is an ancient custom of presenting to guests, whom it is desired to especially honor, the freedom of the cities which they favor with their presence. With us this is unnecessary; our guess already possess that freedom in as full and ample a degree as is possible, yet, in token of all that the custom implies, let us to-day in spirit offer each one of you the freedom of old Fairfield, and although not inscribed in letters of gilt on lasting parchment nor encased in jewelled box of royal gold, yet let the heartfelt honor, the esteem and the unalloyed good-will of the givers atone in spirit for that which it lacks in outward and costly magnificence.

That you have this year selected our town as the place of your re-union gives us pleasure. We were glad to see you when in '62 you paid us frequent visits. We are glad to see you when you come again in '83, to revive old memories.

When, in recollection, our minds go back to the times of twenty years and more ago, when the dark cloud of civil war and fraternal strife hung in pall like blackness over our fair land, to those times when strong men trembled and grew sick at heart, when all were troubled and feared the dire disaster the next day might bring forth; when we go back to those days and recollect what feelings of relief and fair hopes were aroused in patriotic hearts when you, at your country's call, cast aside your occupations of peace and with strong and martial tread, went out to meet our threatening foes, and, if need be, to offer your heart's blood a sacrifice upon the altar of your country's safety. I say, that when our minds go back to those days, it indeed seems that all that we can now do is incommensurate and paltry compared with what we owe you. And when we remember, after you had left us, the joy with which the news of your success was received, and how returning, you brought back to us a peaceful and re-united country which to-day in peace and that strength born of national union and liberty, holds its head in conscious dignity among the strongest and proudest nations of the earth; then I say that our acts sink into insignificance, and we are well nigh ashamed of the poor reception we are able to give you, yet, if we can by our acts today show that we appreciate, and that it is our desire to repay, if such were even in a slight measure possible, the incalculable debt of eternal gratitude which we owe to you, our country's defenders, we shall consider that the day has been well spent and our efforts amply rewarded.

Occasions, such as these, must be productive of much good. I believe that those men err who say "The war is over, our country re-united and as our object now should be to sink in oblivion all thoughts of the past strife between North and South, therefore Re-Unions, Memorial Days, and others which keep green these memories serve only a mischievous purpose."

I believe, I say, that those men err, and while we must all be convinced that in their premises they are partly right yet their conclusion is wholly wrong; from my own observation of veterans of both North and South I am certain that among no other class of men will you find more or stronger friendship for the two sections of our country.

Nowhere are the bravery and soldierly qualities of our former foes more admired and respected, nor does there anywhere a stronger feeling of brotherhood with the South of to-day prevail than among the veteran soldiers of the North; among you who having the courage of your convictions went forth at the call of danger and bore the brunt of the battle; you who met them in the fight and who know that your countrymen of the South are made of as brave stuff as their fellows of the North; you who having fulfilled your duty at the time of your country's need now with the magnanimity of true bravery are ready to clasp hands with foemen whom you found worthy of your steel, and as victors worthy of your victories, to forgive and forget past differences. No, men of the Seventeenth and fellow citizens, it is not among our veterans that you find ill feeling toward the south, or a desire by any act of theirs to fan the dying embers of sectional prejudice. Therefore, let us all to-day, remember that now there is no North, no South, but only one common and magnificent country, offering equal rights for all, and holding out the blessings of freedom to all mankind. Such being your spirit, none but good results can come from your meetings; by them memories of valiant deeds are kept alive; memories of deeds of bravery which the pen of no historian records, and which otherwise would be forgotten; from them the youth of our country receive lessons in devoted patriotism which nowhere else they could obtain, and by them are taught the price and awful cost of preserving to them and their children the magnificent heritage which they have to-day, and knowing this they learn to prize it higher, and, if the necessity ever again occurs (and God grant that it may not,) will be prepared to emulate the illustrious and valiant deeds of their fathers.

Let us not either in honoring the living forget the dead heroes of the regiment, the soldierly Walter, the noble Fowler, beloved by all; the heroic Wilcoxson, the gallant Moore, the brave young Chatfield, the story of whose valor and bravery in the very face of death, thrills the heart of every hearer with feelings of honor and reverence for his unflinching courage and distinguished gallantry, as well as the long list of others who went forth with you never to return. Their memories should be cherished by us as immortal legacies in accepting, which, we take upon ourselves the duty of keeping ever green and fresh.

I mean to use but few words in conveying to you the welcome of our people, as I do not desire to keep you too long standing after your march this morning, and anxious as I know you are to proceed to your meting where you can freely exchange your greetings and recall your former days of comradeship. I, therefore, shall detain you no longer than to assure you that to-day all that our town has she offers freely and cheerfully to the heroes of the Seventeenth, and to express the hope that as your trials and hardships were great during the weary times of our trying war, so now may your lives be unalloyed by troubles and go down in a glorious sunset of honor made more bright and magnificent by the past clouds of suffering and war.

RESPONSE OF LIEUT.-COL. ALLEN.

We also remember that it was in this town that a poor laboring man's name was drawn from the box during a draft, and that one of your citizens, Mr. Mallory I think, stepped forward and said, "That man is poor and he has a family and can not go; I will go in his place," and he did go. That is the kind of stuff of which Fairfield men are made, and we know it. (Cheers). With these pleasant recollections of the patriotism and generosity of your people in the past, we have every reason to anticipate a most delightful time among you to-day.

Again, sir, I thank you, leaving my comrades to personally express their thanks to your citizens during the day.