ANNUAL REUNION 76th REGIMENT NEW YORK STATE VOLUNTEERS

Soldier's Monument and Normal School

The Cortland News, Friday, October 8, 1886.

ANNUAL REUNION.

Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Muster in of the Old 76th Regiment, N. Y. S. V.

   About eighty of the survivors of the old 76th Regiment met in this place on Monday last, it being the twenty-fifth anniversary of the muster in of that gallant old regiment which did much valiant service in many a hard fought field.

   The business meeting of the Association was held at Fireman's Hall at 10 a. m., President  A. Sager, in the chair.

   On motion of D. C. Beers, it was unanimously voted to erect a monument at Gettysburg next year, and a motion to meet at that place was also unanimously carried.

   On motion of S. M. Byram it was voted that the executive committee have power to change the place of meeting to Newark Valley if circumstances were such that the monument could not be ready for unveiling at Gettysburg.

   The following: officers were elected for the ensuing year:

   President—S. M. Byram.

   1st Vice-President—B. F. Taylor.

   2d Vice-President—J. L. Goddard.

   3d Vice-President—Henry Cliff.

   Secretary—A. P. Smith.

   Treasurer—W. H. Myers.

   An invitation was extended to the 157th Regiment to be present at the unveiling of the monument at Gettysburg.

   Letters were read from Colonel Wainwright, U. A. Burnham, E. George Hall, C. H. Smith, Dr. George W. Northrup, Captain I. V. White and Dr. J. W. Burr.

   At 12:30 the veterans and their guests marched to the Pioneer Rink, where an elegant repast was served by the ladies of Grace church, to which all did ample justice. After all had been fed a line was formed in front of the rink, headed by Mechanics Band and marched to the Court House, where the pictures of the old 76th were taken by Messrs. Overton, of the Evans Branch Gallery, and L. E. Burnham of East Homer [wish we had the photos--CC editor]. After some little delay the line was again formed and moved to the Opera House to the music of "Marching Through Georgia." It was a noticeable feature that some of the oldest veterans stepped a little quicker and seemed to be much younger when the band struck up this soul inspiring national air.

   Major Sager opened the meeting by making a short speech of welcome in which he reviewed the history of the regiment from the time of its muster in at the fairgrounds twenty-five years ago, up to the present time, after which the following programme was carried out:

   MUSIC, "Red, White and Blue," BAND

   PRAYER, REV. C. C. WILBOB

   SONG—"A Thousand Years Ago," QUARTETTE

   ADDRESS, HON. R. H. DUELL

   ADDRESS, HON. A. P. SMITH

   SONG—“Old Arm Chair," QUARTETTE

   ANNUAL  ADDRESS, J. E. EGGLESTON

   SONG—“Tenting To-night," QUARTETTE

   ADDRESS, CHAS. WATROUS

   ADDRESS, E. D. VAN SLYCK

   SONG—"America," QUARTETTE

   MUSIC—"Marching Thro' Georgia," BAND

   BENEDICTION, REV. C. C. WILBOR

   A telegram from General Henry A. Barnum, of New York, was read announcing his inability to attend. A resolution was also offered by S. M. Byram and adopted by the meeting, thanking L. D. C. Hopkins & Son for the beautiful floral decorations in the Opera House, to the press for their kindly notices, and to the speakers on this occasion.

   The quartette was composed of Messrs. F. E. Plumb, H. H. Greenman, H. C. Beebe, and Ollie Lund, and owing to the short time they had to practice, did remarkably.

   All the original sergeants of Co. A., Captain Grover's, were present at the reunion. They were all mustered in at one time, were all wounded, all promoted for valiant service, and now, after 25 years, had elapsed, were again together and had their pictures taken in a group in front of the soldiers monument. They are, 1st Sergeant, S. M. Byram, promoted to captain; 2d Sergeant, Ira C. Potter, promoted to captain; 3d Sergeant, Martin Edgcomb, promoted to first lieutenant; 4th Sergeant, T. H. McClenthan, promoted to Sergeant-Major; 5th Sergeant, N. G. Harmon, promoted to captain.

THE CAMP FIRE.

   The camp fire was lighted in Wells' Hall at 8:30, with about 150 present, which number was increased to about 200 by the arrival of a detachment of ladies.

   Major A. Sager was unanimously elected chairman of the meeting, who made a brief speech thanking the comrades for the honor conferred upon him. He then put the machine in motion by calling for a song from the glee club, which, by the way, was composed of only two persons, Mr. F. E. Plumb and W. H. Myers, no others being present but those that are always troubled with "bad colds” on such occasions. The first piece rendered was "John Brown," being an air that has lately came under public notice and which was very effectively sung and did great credit to the glee club.

   The chairman called upon comrade Martin Edgcomb. He "came up smiling" but was interrupted by the arrival of a reinforcement of ladies. They were given three cheers and then told, "ladies, be seated,” something after the manner of a minstrel show.

   The "Navy" also appeared and was given a seat by the side of a hardware dealer and seemed to be very well pleased with its surroundings. Comrade Edgcomb then resumed his speech after order had once more been restored. At this part of the proceedings the "man of iron" arose and called on the "Navy" to give "Sheridan's Ride," but as it had been in that ''engagement” a number of times, it wanted to try another gun, which it did by reciting a parody on the piece called for, entitled, ''The Dutchman's Ride." It was rendered in a style-that pleased the audience and showed that the "Navy,” (by the way, we had forgotten that it was represented by Webster Young) was not to be put in the background even if it was small.

   The "glee club" was again put in motion and turned out "Tramp, Tramp, the Boys are Marching."

   As the man from the 155th Ohio, H. M. Kellogg, was "loaded” to the muzzle" he was commanded to "fire," which he did by reading "The Army Mule." This was a decided hit and elicited much applause.

   Another verse of "Tramp, Tramp, etc." was let loose and the "Wheeler & Wilsons" (the foregoing joke originated in the Democrat office, consequently we cannot be held responsible) "did themselves proud."

   Comrade B. T. Wright was called upon next, but as he had “run out of wind,"

something remarkable for a lawyer, he was allowed to remain in his seat.

   S. M. Byram, the President of the Association, made a short speech and Clifton Wiles read a poem entitled, "Post No. 3."

   H. C. Beebe appeared at this critical point and was immediately hustled into the corner where the glee club was kept and everything went on quite peacefully again, the singers feeling so elated over the arrival of this reinforcement that they immediately started the "Battle Cry of Freedom.”

   A. P. Smith kept the audience in a continual uproar by relating some of his experiences while acting as Quartermaster of the regiment, which he considered the most dangerous position of all. After he had sat down the "Army Bean" was sung for his especial benefit.

   B. A. Carpenter was next called to the platform and recited a poem entitled, "Why He Didn't Want to Sell the Farm."

   J. E. Eggleston and the Quartermaster had a little good-natured wind battle in regard to "dried apples and water."

   Captain Watrous made a short but effective speech at the call of the comrades, after which George L. Warren, of the 157th Regiment, took the platform and reviewed the battle of Gettysburg quite vividly.

   "Kalamazoo" was then sung by the audience, and comrade Kellogg, the man next to the "Navy," read "The man who saw a Mule Die."

   As the hour was quite late the "Red, White and Blue" was sung and after giving three cheers for the old flag the meeting was adjourned for one year.

References:

1) The Army Mule by Henry A. Castle: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/39911/39911-h/39911-h.htm

2) The Army Bean lyrics: http://lyrics.wikia.com/Unknown_Artist:Army_Bean

3) 157th Infantry Regiment, New York State Volunteers: http://dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/civil/infantry/157thInf/157thInfMain.htm

4) 76th Regiment New York State Volunteers: http://www.bpmlegal.com/76NY/