NEWSPAPER EXCERPTS

The Soldiers' Reunion in Old Guernsey.
An Immense Crowd and a Jolly Good Time.
Speeches by Private Dalzell, Secretary Garnes, Gen. Leggett, E. N. McEndre and Others.
Special Dispatch to the Cincinnati Gazette.
CAMBRIDGE, O., Aug. 6
The accessions made today to the crowd in attendance at the soldiers' reunion, held in this place, made it exceed that of yesterday by nearly one-half.  Gen. Leggett and Col. Barnes, Secretary of State, were added to the list of visitors from abroad.  The order of exercises was as follows:  Procession will march to the grove at 9 o'clock a.m.  From 10 a.m. to 12 m. will be devoted to a general experience meeting, participated in by soldiers without regard to rank in which reminiscences of the camp, the march, and the battlefield will be related.  Basket picnic at 12:30.  Addresses in the afternoon by Generals Gibson, Ball, Barnes, and others, after which a sham battle, participated in by infantry, cavalry, and artillery, will be had.
     Notwithstanding the heavy showers of rain, the proceedings this morning at the grove were continued.  A stirring war song, "The Battle Cry of Freedom," opened the day.
     Private Dalzell was introduced as the first speaker.  There was an opinion that reunions were played out, but his observation had been that the interest in them was increasing.  Though the old veterans were dying off from year to year, he thought they should be kept up for the benefit of the rising generation.  One thought he would like to leave them, and that was that the orphans of the brave men who had died for their country should continue to be cared for.
     The rain at this juncture began to patter down through the trees overhead.
     Col. Barnes, Secretary of State, was next introduced.  The rain still continued, but he was requested to go on.  After recalling some of the experiences of the war, he was compelled to desist on account of the heavy showers of rain.  The majority of the crowed scattered in different directions for shelter.
     There were some who persisted n carrying out the experience meeting.  Stentorian voices made the woods ring with war songs and vociferous cheering.  Among the soldiers called on to speak was E. N. McEndre, an ex-Confederate, who said he had renewed his allegiance to the old flag, and was ready to defend it.  Many of the incidents were laughable in the extreme.
     In the afternoon the speaking was resumed.  Col. Ferguson, of Cambridge, was first introduced, and paid a high tribute to Guernsey County for the part she had played in the war.
     Gen. Leggett followed next in a speech of considerable length.  He had not come with a prepared speech, but he took great pleasure in speaking to soldiers' and sailors' friends. 
     It was the opinion of many writers, and of the world generally, that a long continued peace, such as that extending from 1812 to 1861, unfitted a people for self-defense.  My experience and yours has shown this to be a fallacy as far as our country is concerned.  It may be necessary in Europe to educate and drill a soldiery and keep a standing army, but here no so.  This was necessary to a certain extent, but the few could direct the many when the occasioned required.  He did not care about the size of the standing army, so long as the hearts of the people were ablaze with patriotism.
     The speaker concluded by saying that it was not in place to introduce political questions, but he wanted to say one thing, and that was he hoped they would never apologize for what they had done in putting down the rebellion. [Long and continued applause]
     A handsome gold headed cane was then presented to Gen. Gibson by the survivors of the 15th Ohio Regiment, to which he responded in his characteristic way, to the great delight and amusement of the audience.  The General is a great favorite here.
     Maj. J. K. Brown, of Cambridge, made the farewell address and the assembly dispersed.
(Transcribed by Sharon Wick from Genealogy Bank)