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With Compliments of 
 
 MAJOK WILLIAM P. SHKEVE3 
 
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Tf ORY ( HIRD 
 
 Compiled from the Original Records 
 
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 WILLIAM P. SHREVi: 
 
 TREASURER 
 1885 I9IO 
 
 
iQrtJlhif uatagmtfilS (jii5m63F 
 
THE STORY OF THE THIRD 
 ARMY CORPS UNION 
 
 Compiled from the Original Records 
 
 By 
 
 WILLIAM P. SHREVE 
 
 TREASURER 
 1885 I9IO 
 
 ^pmat^Ig J^ruttrii 
 
 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 
 
 1910 
 
El 4^1 "3 
 -\ 
 '3cJi 
 
 S5"G 
 
 APR^y iM'»» 
 
/ 
 
 EDWARD LIVINGSTON WELLING 
 
 ' You filled up the gaps in our files, 
 Strengthened the wavering line, 
 'Stablished, continued our march." 
 
HOOPER PRINTING COMPANY 
 74 INDIA ST., BOSTON 
 
TOLD BY THE SECRETARY. 
 
 THE life of the Third Army Corps Union 
 is nearing fifty years and in all human prob- 
 ability it will not be many more before the 
 last Veteran comrade will celebrate the anniver- 
 sary alone. It will, therefore, be interesting to 
 recall the story of the organization and the forty- 
 five reunions that have been held while yet there 
 are a goodly number who remember them with 
 thankful enthusiasm. 
 
 To whom first came the idea of forming a 
 society that should be of mutual benefit to its 
 members under the conditions imposed by the war 
 in which we were engaged, nowhere appears in the 
 record, but we know that on the second of Sep- 
 tember, 1863, the following named officers met at 
 the Head Quarters of the First Division of the 
 Third Army Corps, at Sulphur Springs, Warren- 
 ton, Virginia. If other than a verbal invitation 
 was issued, we do not know, but it is fair to assume 
 that the initiative may be accorded to Major 
 General David Bell Birney, who commanded the 
 Division. He was chosen to preside at the first 
 meeting and Colonel William R. Brewster, who 
 commanded the Second Brigade, Second Division, 
 was the Secretary. The others present were Bri- 
 gadier General James B. Carr, First Brigade, 
 Second Division; Brigadier General Gershom 
 Mott, Third Brigade, Second Division; Colonel 
 
 [ 1 ] 
 
C. H. T. Collis (One hundred and fourteenth 
 Pennsylvania) commanding the First Brigade, 
 First Division; Colonel L. D. Carver (Fourth 
 Maine) commanding the Second and Colonel 
 Regis De Trobriand (Fifty-fifth New York) com- 
 manding the Third. Although Colonel Carver 
 was prominent during the first three months of the 
 life of the Union his name does not appear on the 
 roster probably for reasons that will appear later. 
 He was mustered out of the service on the sixteenth 
 oi December, 1863, for disability. 
 
 After the preliminary matters were done with, 
 General Carr ofi^ered this resolution: "That an 
 organization be formed of which all the officers of 
 the old Third Corps shall be the members." 
 "That a committee of three, to which shall be 
 added the President, be appointed to draft by- 
 laws, constitution, etc., and report on the sixth 
 inst." On this committee were appointed Gen- 
 erals Carr and Mott. 
 
 The following was voted and the first meeting 
 adjourned to September sixth. "Resolved, That 
 the commandants of Regiments in the First and 
 Second Divisions be invited to meet with us at 
 our next meeting. Resolved, That this organiza- 
 tion be known as the Third Corps Union." 
 
 It will not escape the notice of many that the 
 first resolution adopted by this group of officers 
 spoke of the "Old Third Corps" and that in a 
 following one the officers of the First and Second 
 Divisions only are named. This while not in- 
 tended to reflect in any way upon the men of the 
 Third Division, but simply to confine the member- 
 ship of the Union to those who had belonged to 
 
 [ 2 ] 
 
the Third Corps, "As we understand it," the corps 
 as it was up to the battle of Gettysburg, neverthe- 
 less is said to have given offence to General French, 
 who was at that time commander of the Corps, 
 much to the disgust of the men who wore the red 
 and white diamonds. It was at this time that he 
 issued the wonderful order that created no little 
 amusement and did not help to raise him in the 
 estimation of those he intended to score. It will 
 not be out of place if reproduced here. 
 
 "The General now commanding the Corps of 
 Hooker, Sickles, Berry and as his dear friend 
 dares to raise the shroud of the chivalric Kearny, 
 needs nothing further to convince the brave and 
 intelligent soldiers of the Corps that the efforts for 
 preference over the reputation of brother soldiers, 
 no matter what state or what army may claim 
 them, when they have proved true and faithful to 
 our Union and to the glorious flag, ought and must 
 be admitted to the position to which by their 
 bravery they are entitled." 
 
 Nevertheless General French became a member 
 of the Union wearing the badge numbered eighteen. 
 
 At the second meeting, September sixth, there 
 were present thirty-six officers. Among the names 
 of those mentioned many are familiar to us today, 
 as, for example, Egan, Sides, Craig, Stoughton 
 and Danks. The permanent organization was 
 effected by the election of the following officers. 
 For President, General Daniel E. Sickles. Vice- 
 President, General David B. Birney. Secretary, 
 Captain James C. Briscoe. Corresponding Secre- 
 tary, Major H. Edwin Tremain. Treasurer, Gen- 
 eral Gershom Mott. 
 
The Constitution was adopted, providing for 
 the usual exigencies of an association and fixing 
 upon the fifth day of May in each year for the 
 Annual meeting. The distinctive feature of the 
 order, that does not appear in our constitution 
 today, was the following declaration. "The ob- 
 ject of this association is a benevolent one, to 
 see that the remains of any of the members who 
 shall die in the service are properly interred, also 
 should the family of any member dying in service, 
 or taken prisoner, be in need, it shall be aided 
 from the funds." 
 
 Provision was made for "preparing a suit- 
 able badge," with the declaration that "All offi- 
 cers who have participated meritoriously in any 
 of the battles in which the Third Corps has been 
 engaged shall be eligible to membership". This 
 was found, before the constitution was printed to 
 be a little too broad and the following was substi- 
 tuted: "All officers who have belonged to the 
 Third Army Corps and shall have participated 
 in any of its battles, shall be eligible to member- 
 ship." 
 
 A Board of Directors was elected to serve until 
 the time of the Annual meeting, as follows. Gen- 
 erals Carr, Mott, Graham, Ward and Colonels 
 Brewster and De Trobriand, and Captain Ran- 
 dolph of the Artillery Brigade. 
 
 The President was directed to select a com- 
 mittee of thirteen to draft by-laws for the govern- 
 ment of the association, the same to be submitted 
 at the next meeting. Of that committee not one 
 is living today and four of the names do not appear 
 on the roster. Colonels Tippen, Carver, Meriam 
 
 [ 4 ] 
 
(Sixteenth Massachusetts, killed at the North 
 Anna, May twenty-third) and the quartermaster 
 of the Eleventh Massachusetts, George Forrest. 
 
 At a meeting of the twenty-seventh of Septem- 
 ber, the committee reported a set of By-Laws 
 that were adopted and with the constitution there 
 was ordered printed one thousand copies. The 
 fee for initiation was fixed at ten dollars and the 
 dues at six. There was one by-law providing 
 for a Court Martial of any member against whom 
 charges shall be made. 
 
 At the meeting on the thirtieth of September 
 members were elected to the number of seventy- 
 five, twelve of whom were officers of the Division 
 and Brigade staff. The others were distributed 
 as follows among the regiments of the Corps. 
 Berdan Sharp Shooters, seventeen. Ninety-ninth 
 Pennsylvania, fifteen. Third Maine, ten. Fourth 
 Maine, five. One hundred and twenty-fourth 
 New York, eight. Eighty-sixth, New York, eight. 
 
 A design was submitted by the committee on 
 badges and was rejected, the committee being in- 
 structed to procure another. At the following 
 meeting, October fifth, provision was made for a 
 certificate of membership. 
 
 A week later the army was making its way 
 back to Centerville, and the next meeting is re- 
 corded as at Headquarters, Licking Creek, Novem- 
 ber fifth. Much more business than usual was 
 transacted, or it may have been, which is more 
 probable, that the report was more in detail. The 
 design of the badge was decided upon, the com- 
 mittee on certificate was given permission to select 
 the design, three hundred copies of the Army and 
 
 [ 5 ] 
 
Navy Journal were ordered for distribution among 
 the members, the Secretary was directed to ascer- 
 tain from every member of the two divisions the 
 names of the battles in which he had been engaged 
 and that, with every application for membership, 
 some one battle with the Corps be named. Gen- 
 eral Gilbert Marston, at Point Lookout, Va,, was 
 to be notified that his name will be inserted in the 
 list of Brigadiers promoted from the Corps. 
 
 Before the next meeting the Mine Run cam- 
 paign had been accomplished. December fifth the 
 name of General Henry Prince appears as the pre- 
 siding officer. Two vacancies in the Board were 
 announced caused by the muster out of Colonel De 
 Trobriand and the transfer of General Graham 
 from the Department. These vacancies were filled 
 by the election of Colonel Byron R. Pierce, Third 
 Michigan, and Colonel J. H. Madill, One hundred 
 and forty-first Pennsylvania. Eighteen new mem- 
 bers were elected and for the first time the death 
 of a member was mentioned. "Colonel Brewster 
 announced that he had made arrangements for the 
 removal of the body of Captain McDonough, of 
 the Third Excelsior, (Seventy-second New York) 
 killed at Locust Grove, November twenty-seventh, 
 and asked that the bill be presented to the Treas- 
 urer." Colonel Brewster also moved, "That the 
 authorized embalmers for the Union be Brown 
 and Alexander of Washington." Although the 
 name of Captain McDonough is the first to appear 
 in the report of the Secretary as killed in battle, 
 we shall find in the report of the Treasurer that 
 a benefit was paid in behalf of Colonel Trepp one 
 day earlier. 
 
At this point in the record there are some score 
 of blank pages left, as if there was some matter 
 that was expected to be written in. As Colonel 
 Briscoe steps down and out as the Secretary, it 
 would seem as if room was intended for the names 
 of the members that had been elected since the 
 meeting of December, for from the evidence of 
 the Treasurer's books there must have been three 
 hundred and forty-seven members enrolled up to 
 December first, 1863. 
 
 At the meeting of January fifth, 1864, the 
 resignation of Captain Briscoe was accepted, as 
 Recording Secretary, and J. Theodore Calhoun, 
 the Surgeon in Chief, was elected to the vacancy. 
 This ended an episode of which little was prob- 
 ably known outside of the Board of Directors, the 
 particulars of which if told, would account for 
 many errors and omissions in the records. At 
 this meeting the records of the former one were 
 not to be found and there is evidently an attempt 
 to make amends for the failure by doing over 
 again some of the work of the past. Members 
 were elected. Captain A. Judson Clark was chosen 
 a member of the Board, in place of Captain Ran- 
 dolph, the Treasurer was authorized to pay two 
 hundred dollars each to Mrs. Trepp and Mrs. 
 McDonough and the bill of the Army and Navy 
 Journal for thirty dollars. The quarterly report 
 of the Treasurer is mentioned as read, but not 
 incorporated in the record. 
 
 At the meeting of February fifth, 1864, members 
 were elected, a mass of routine business transacted 
 and a disposition shown to tinker the by-laws, 
 the same as has been in evidence ever since, 
 
 [ 7 ] 
 
cropping out at every meeting up to 1906. A 
 committee was appointed to collect for preservation 
 in the archives of the Union, a history of Regi- 
 ments, Batteries, Brigades and Divisions of the 
 Corps. The approach of more active business, 
 the making of history instead of the recording of 
 it, prevented this committee from ever making a 
 report. The Secretary was directed to call upon 
 Captain Briscoe for a list of members and all pa- 
 pers relating to the association. 
 
 Just previous to this meeting the first lot of 
 badges were received, but the certificates of mem- 
 bership were not ready, although the Treasurer 
 offered a bill that he had received, requesting an 
 advance of two hundred dollars for them, which 
 he was ordered to pay. 
 
 At the meeting of March fifth, the name of 
 M. F. Webb, Additional Paymaster, was proposed 
 for membership and after much discussion the 
 result of which was two in his favor, he was 
 rejected. 
 
 A meeting on the fifteenth of March received 
 the report of the committee on the revision of 
 the by-laws and accepted it, but what was the 
 nature of the report the records do not show, 
 owing probably to the absence of the Secretary, 
 in whose absence Captain Clark acted pro tem. 
 Among the names offered as new members is that 
 of General Charles K. Graham, which would sug- 
 gest an attempt to correct the records, as he was 
 one of the first directors. General French was 
 also elected, but how his eligibility was shown is 
 not stated, probably derived from the battle of 
 Wapping Heights. An order was given to print 
 
 [ 8 ] 
 
one thousand copies of the constitution and by- 
 laws. If this and the former order was carried 
 out, it would be curious to know what became of 
 all of them. 
 
 At the meeting of April seventeenth, 1864, the 
 question of the eligibility of Paymasters to mem- 
 bership was again introduced and after more 
 debate Majors McBlair, Johnson and Webb were 
 elected. 
 
 General Birney read a letter that he had re- 
 ceived from E. R. Tremain of New York, as 
 treasurer of a fund contributed by the Stock Ex- 
 change members for the relief of the sick and 
 wounded of the Third Corps. No mention is made 
 of the acceptance of the money, of the amount 
 given nor of what disposition was made of it. The 
 records of the Treasurer do not disclose that he 
 had the disposition of it. The genesis of this fund 
 if not indeed the genesis of the Third Army Corps 
 Union itself, is explained by a letter written by 
 Mr. Tremain to his son, dated July nineteen, 1863, 
 which he has permitted to be printed in connection 
 with this story at the end of this chapter. From 
 that it will be seen that the movement may be 
 traced back into the thought of our wounded 
 General, who while on his back and receiving every 
 care possible, sent a contribution to help his 
 wounded soldiers. 
 
 General Ward and Colonel Brewster were ap- 
 pointed to make arrangements for the annual 
 meeting, on the fifth of May, which would indi- 
 cate that no immediate movement of the army 
 was anticipated. This committee reported on the 
 twenty-fourth but no hint of it is spread on the 
 
 [ 9 ] 
 
record other than that the Secretary is directed " to 
 send to each Brigade director a copy of such part 
 of the report as does not conflict with the consti- 
 tution." The treasurer was directed to keep ten 
 badges of the Union on hand. 
 
 Needless to say that the Annual Meeting of 
 the Society did not come off, but the annual meet- 
 ing of the Blue and the Gray was called in the 
 place of it. As at Williamsburg and at Chancel- 
 lorsville, so now in the Wilderness the Third 
 Corps on the fifth of May, 1864, faced the enemy. 
 No more, however, the Third in name, although 
 the men still wore the diamond badge of red and 
 white, for they were marching nominally under 
 the trefoil of the Second Corps, into which they 
 had been incorporated. If the trinity was really 
 emphasized under the union of the trefoil with 
 the diamond it has never been any solace to recall 
 the occurrence. 
 
 Now came the days when, if ever, the Union 
 was to demonstrate its value by caring for its dead 
 and wounded, and forge in the fierce heat of battle 
 the bonds that bind the living to each other today. 
 
 It was not until the investment of Petersburg 
 that the next meeting was held, on the fourth of 
 July. As usual it was at the headquarters of 
 General Birney and an interesting feature of the 
 meeting for us of later years is that it marked 
 the first appearance of our incomparable Secre- 
 tary, Colonel Edward Livingston Welling. Hence- 
 forth the reports were not only complete but 
 something more. Not dry detail only but alive 
 with patriotic enthusiasm. 
 
 The returns of the election for oflScers and 
 
 [ 10 ] 
 
directors held this day, (so the record runs) were 
 canvassed with the following result. President, 
 General Daniel E. Sickles; Vice-President, General 
 David Bell Birney; Recording Secretary, Surgeon 
 J. Theodore Calhoun; Corresponding Secretary, 
 Surgeon E. L. Welling; Directors, Generals Ger- 
 shom Mott; Colonel Byron R. Pierce; and Robert 
 McAllister. The last named was designated as 
 "Division director" but what was the distinction 
 is unknown today. 
 
 The business that followed showed all too well 
 the work in which we had been engaged two 
 months. It is best to summarize it. Bills were 
 approved for embalming the bodies of Captain 
 James McDermott and John Phelan, both of the 
 Seventy-third New York, and Captain LeFort of 
 same regiment. Remittances were ordered sent to 
 Mrs. LeFort, one hundred dollars; and Mrs. Mc- 
 Dermott, fifty dollars; Mrs. Patrick Nolan, seventy- 
 five dollars; Mrs. S. T. Sleeper (Eleventh New 
 Jersey) one hundred dollars. The annual dues 
 were reduced from five dollars to three dollars. 
 
 August fifth, 1864. The business was chiefly 
 the consideration of applications for relief of fami- 
 lies, most of which were laid over for investigation. 
 One hundred dollars was ordered paid to Mrs. 
 William C. Meriam and Mrs. George Harvey 
 (Third, Maine). 
 
 The present owners of certificates of membership 
 will be surprised to learn their mercantile value 
 from the bill of Hatch & Co., presented and laid 
 on the table, for four hundred and thirty-seven 
 dollars, not including two hundred paid previously. 
 This and subsequent meetings were at the head- 
 
 r 11 1 
 
quarters of General Mott, owing to the assignment 
 of General Birney to the command of the Tenth 
 Corps Army of the James. 
 
 September fifteenth the meeting was marked by 
 the return of General De Trobriand who was 
 elected a director, having been assigned to com- 
 mand the First Brigade. (It will be remembered 
 that since the second week of May the two divi- 
 sions had been one, being consolidated because 
 of losses). Application was made for admission 
 to membership of officers of the Ninety-third, 
 New York, that had been lately sent to the divi- 
 sion, but the request was refused as violation 
 of the constitution. Another evidence of the 
 imperfection of the roster was evidenced from the 
 vote to recognize the membership of Surgeon Or- 
 pheus Evarts, of the Twentieth Indiana, "he hav- 
 ing paid the initiation fee, but by some oversight 
 his name does not appear in the list of members." 
 
 September thirteenth. The meeting was pre- 
 sided over by General Birney, his corps being in 
 the Petersburg trenches. Colonel Brewster of- 
 fered for membership the name of Colonel (Major) 
 Julius Hayden, Tenth U. S. Infantry, serving on 
 the former Third Corps staff as Commissary of 
 Musters. As his name is not on our roster he 
 probably failed to accept the honor. So many 
 bills for embalming were approved that it would 
 be encroaching upon space to enumerate them 
 here. The vote passed at a former meeting, re- 
 fusing membership to officers of regiments that 
 had joined the division since the Corps was discon- 
 tinued in May, was reconsidered, rescinded and 
 Captain Walter W. Braman and Lieutenant 
 
 [ 12 ] 
 
Simon D. Newcomb of the Ninety-third New 
 York were elected members. 
 
 October twenty-second. The record of this 
 meeting is a repetition of mortuary statistics that 
 are in the main Hke those of the former meetings 
 and Hke those that follow, until the Army was 
 disbanded. 
 
 In this way only are the deaths of members per- 
 petuated in the records, it being manifest that no 
 resolutions could be written, under such circum- 
 stances. Two officers, however, were mentioned 
 on this day whom all will remember. Colonel 
 Calvin A. Craig, One hundred and fifth Penn- 
 sylvania, killed on the sixteenth of August, and 
 Lieutenant Colonel George W. Meikel, Twentieth 
 Indiana, killed on the twentieth of August, men 
 who had both become noted in the now small 
 division for their efficiency and courage. Surgeon 
 Calhoun resigned and Colonel Welling was elected 
 to the vacant office, his being filled by Captain 
 Edwin B. Houghton of the Seventeenth Maine. 
 
 The death of General Birney was announced, 
 he having died on the eighteenth, in his home at 
 Philadelphia, whither he had gone on the tenth. 
 A committee was named to prepare resolutions 
 upon his death, the first of the kind in the records 
 of the Union and it will be quite in keeping to give 
 them here, in their order, as they are spread in 
 full upon the records. The committee was De 
 Trobriand, Pierce and Brewster. This is the last 
 time Colonel Brewster is mentioned. He was 
 mustered out soon after, his term of service having 
 expired, as Brevet Brigadier. 
 
 A large number of members mostly from the 
 
 [ 13 ] 
 
new regiments, were elected after the passage of 
 the following: — "That, in consideration that this 
 Division was permitted, after the Old Third Corps 
 was temporarily broken up, to retain its badge and 
 its flag, and in consideration of the severe engage- 
 ments of the late eventful campaign, in which we 
 have fought as a division, and in further consid- 
 eration of the bravery which the above regiments 
 have evinced, fighting side by side with the veter- 
 ans of the Third Corps, we do consider them as 
 members of the Old Third Corps and as entitled 
 to the privileges of the society." 
 
 On motion of General Pierce, General Mott 
 was elected as Vice President to fill the vacancy 
 made by the death of General Birney. 
 
 November fifth. General De Trobriand for the 
 committee reported the following resolutions: — 
 
 "Whereas, It has pleased Almighty God to 
 bring to an end the earthly career of Major Gen- 
 eral David Bell Birney, who died in Philadelphia 
 on the eighteenth of October, 1864, from disease 
 contracted during the hardships and privations of 
 more than three years campaign in the field, and 
 
 "Whereas, During all that period the noble 
 and faithful service of said General Birney is 
 closely identified with the glorious record of the 
 Third Army Corps, either as Brigade or Division 
 Commander, and 
 
 "Whereas, All that the casualties of war and 
 insalubrities of climate have left under arms of the 
 Third Army Corps is now included in this the 
 Third Division of the Second Corps, fairly and 
 fully represented by the association known as the 
 
 [ 14 ] 
 
Third Corps Union, of which General Birney was 
 the Vice President, therefore, 
 
 "Resolved, That in the death of General 
 Birney we sorrowfully deplore the loss of a thorough 
 patriotic citizen and accomplished gentleman, as 
 well as of a most gallant soldier and highly effi- 
 cient Commander. 
 
 "Resolved, That his upright character, his 
 noble spirit, his indomitable energy, in the line of 
 duty and his self sacrificing to the sacred cause of 
 the Union, entitle him to the grateful memory of 
 the country for which he gave up home, family, 
 fortune and life. 
 
 "Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with 
 the grief of his bereaved family, the welfare of 
 which will remain always a matter of great con- 
 cern among us. 
 
 "Resolved, That a copy of the above reso- 
 lutions be forwarded to Mrs. General Birney as 
 a true expression of the feeling of the officers and 
 men of this command." 
 
 A letter was read from Captain Charles H. 
 Graves, who accompanied the General to Phila- 
 delphia, but it was not incorporated in the report. 
 
 November nineteenth, 1864, there was a meet- 
 ing at the "Jones House". After the routine 
 business, already too fully dwelt upon perhaps, 
 the following resolution was voted. "That we 
 regard with favor the proposition of Surgeon 
 Orpheus Evarts, Twentieth Indiana Veteran Vol- 
 unteers, Surgeon in Chief of the Third Division, 
 to prepare and publish a complete history of the 
 Third Corps in such manner and style as his judg- 
 
 [ 15 ] 
 
ment may dictate, and we hereby extend to him 
 the auspices of the Third Corps Union in this 
 contemplated work, and request that members of 
 the Union and other officers of the Third Corps 
 will assist him in procuring the necessary data 
 so far as they have it in their power to do." 
 The Secretary was instructed to promulgate to the 
 officers of the Ninety-third New York, First Maine 
 and First Massachusetts Heavy Artillery the reso- 
 lution passed by the Board relative to their eligi- 
 bility for membership in the Union. 
 
 Meeting of December fifth, 1864, at Head- 
 quarters Poplar Springs Church. 
 
 On January fifth, 1865, presumably at the same 
 place. Among the various applications made and 
 considered at every meeting, most of which after 
 investigation were denied, there was one at this 
 meeting unique in its character. It was from 
 Chaplain Moore, asking aid for the family of Col- 
 onel Van Lear of the Sixth New Jersey, who was 
 killed at the battle of Williamsburg. Needless to 
 say that it was declined and although this was an 
 extreme instance, there were many made that had 
 as little claim on the funds of the Union. As a 
 pendant to this there was appropriated at the 
 same meeting the sum of two hundred dollars to 
 the widow of Colonel M. B. Stafford, Eighty-sixth 
 New York. 
 
 There is no record of a February meeting but 
 there was one in March. No business of note was 
 transacted. 
 
 The meeting of April twentieth was following 
 the surrender at Appomattox. One might be ex- 
 pected to look to this record for some sign of or 
 
 [ 16 1 
 
allusion to the prospective disbanding of the army, 
 but there is not a syllable to suggest it. The only 
 thing to attract the attention is the absence of 
 General Mott from the meeting. We all know 
 that he was again wounded at the fight at Farm- 
 ville. General De Trobriand presided and Cap- 
 tain A. Judson Clark was present for the first time 
 since the campaign opened in May, 1864. Not- 
 withstanding the absence of the Treasurer his 
 annual report was read. 
 
 At a meeting held on the twenty-seventh of May 
 General Mott was again in the chair. This was 
 three days after the great review in Washington. 
 At that time the Division was at or near Baileys 
 Cross Roads, Va., having passed through Rich- 
 mond on the sixth, through Fredericksburg on the 
 tenth, and arriving at the Potomac, opposite 
 Washington, on the seventeenth. 
 
 What may rightly be called the last War meet- 
 ing of the Directors of the Union was that of June 
 third, 1865, although there was one held on the 
 twenty-ninth at which nothing of moment tran- 
 spired. 
 
 At the first the canvass was made for the elec- 
 tion of officers, in which all the old board was 
 re-elected with one exception. That was to the 
 office of Corresponding Secretary, which was as- 
 signed to Colonel Charles P. Mattocks, Seventeenth 
 Maine. The following emphasizes the occasion: — 
 "The Secretary is instructed to carry with him 
 to New Jersey the books, papers, certificates of 
 membership, etc., of the Union, that the business 
 be transacted there, in view of the disbandment 
 of the army." 
 
 [ 17 ] 
 
No one can read the foregoing reports without 
 being impressed with a sense of the conscientious 
 devotion that the officers of the Union gave to 
 their work. We really gain but an imperfect idea 
 of the amount of time given to it from what has 
 here been told. If the letters and other papers 
 had been preserved we should be amazed at their 
 bulk and they would add an important contribu- 
 tion to the history of the Corps. That they should 
 have found time, from the pressing duties of the 
 hour, to give to the details that we have seen 
 attended to, even, we mav truthfully say, for a 
 part of the time under fire, must ever be a matter 
 of wonderment. It can scarcely be possible that 
 any one of them ever gave a thought to the future 
 of the society they created, or the work they were 
 doing in its bearing on the future. If such a 
 thought ever came it must have been dismissed 
 with the conclusion that the end of the war would 
 be the end of the "Third Army Corps Union." 
 That it could be perpetuated and become to us 
 what it has been in the last forty years could never 
 have entered into their imagination. Therefore 
 we owe them a debt of gratitude beyond that due 
 them for their patriotic services, and we must 
 ever recall their names at our meetings with a 
 reverential thankfulness that can come only from 
 the ties that bind those who have been "Tried in 
 dangers many". 
 
 One other thing that we must now regret has 
 not been followed as persistently as they would 
 have followed it had they lived, and that is the 
 desire shown on more than one occasion to collect 
 and preserve the records and history of the Third 
 
 [ 18 ] 
 
Corps. It is certainly a matter of regret that the 
 Corps, whose history is such a large part of the 
 Army of the Potomac should have found no his- 
 torian. We cannot but be thankful that General 
 Walker in his able history of the Second Corps has 
 done for us more than any other who has written 
 of those memorable days that began in May 1864 
 and ended with the surrender at Appomattox. 
 
 Before attempting a summary of the meetings 
 that have been held since the war it will be more 
 in keeping with what has gone before, and will 
 supplement and in a way explain it, if we let the 
 first Treasurer of the Union tell his story. 
 
 [ 19 ] 
 
LETTER OF E. R. TREMAIN. 
 
 New York, July 19, 1863. 
 My dear Son: 
 
 On Friday, Major Purdy called on me, with a 
 letter from Captain Fry, telling him to call on me 
 and procure my aid in sending off supplies for the 
 wounded of the Third Army Corps, in the battle of 
 Gettysburg. He had a rough list of the articles 
 particularly needed, such as lemons, oranges, fruits, 
 tamarinds, jellies, etc. He also showed me a pen- 
 cilled note from General Sickles to Jas. T. Brady 
 saying that Major Purdy would explain a wish he 
 had at heart, to aid his wounded heroes at Gettys- 
 burg, and asking him to help him execute it. Brady 
 being out of the city, the responsibility seemed to fall 
 on me, of acting alone. Purdy also handed me the 
 Paymaster's, McBlair's, check, to General Sickles' 
 order, for |5ioo as the General's contribution. 
 
 I took all the documents and yesterday at the 
 regular meeting of the Public Stock Board (not 
 the old Stock Exchange Board, but the new Public 
 Board, of which I am a member) asked unanimous 
 consent to suspend the rules for a few moments to 
 allow me to present a statement in regard to the 
 Army of the Potomac, which was granted. I 
 secured the almost breathless silence for a short 
 time, of this usually very boisterous and excited 
 
 [ 20 ] 
 
body of stock brokers, while I made the simple 
 statement, in a few words of appeal to their loyalty 
 and humanity, and taking from my pocket a sub- 
 scription list, and pointing to the General's check 
 that I had pinned to the list, asked what we ought 
 to do, when a General who had lost one leg in our 
 defence sent from his pay one hundred dollars for 
 this cause ? I promised, in the beginning not to 
 consume more than five minutes of their time, and 
 had their earnest and undivided attention for about 
 that time, and asked "What will you do?" A 
 shout went up, earnest and responsive, " Send them 
 supplies" — "take the money" — "here's my pile" — 
 "put me down for ^25"; "put me down for ^10", 
 etc. In less than ten minutes I had collected $700. 
 I have seen Adams Express who will see that a 
 special car is sent right through. Tomorrow I 
 will devote to aiding Purdy in procuring and dis- 
 patching the supplies, and will act as Treasurer of 
 the fund, to see that it is properly and judiciously 
 expended. 
 
 I have thus given the details because Purdy is not 
 very clear in his explanation of what the General 
 really desired, to make the effort more general and 
 public, or rather private with a few personal 
 friends. I think I have taken the most efficient 
 mode and hope it will prove satisfactory in the end 
 and be productive of benefit to the poor wounded 
 heroes. 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 (signed) E. R. Tremain. 
 
 [ 21 ] 
 
TOLD BY THE TREASURER. 
 
 The first entry on the book of the Treasurer is 
 under the date of September twenty-seventh, 1863, 
 and the amount sixty dollars, for initiation fees. 
 Other entries rapidly followed until the fifth of 
 May, 1864, when the receipts totaled, for admis- 
 sions alone, thirty-eight hundred and seventy 
 dollars. This would indicate that upon the day 
 from which we date our annual meeting, three 
 hundred and eighty-seven members had been en- 
 rolled in the Union, In this the first year of our 
 history there was one other very significant entry 
 and that was the sum of six dollars and ninety 
 cents for interest on a U. S. four per cent. bond. 
 The question as to how best to keep the money 
 that had accumulated in the hands of the Treas- 
 urer seems to have been answered by the dictates 
 of patriotism and the faith in the cause for which 
 we were contending, and to have been shown by 
 tendering this money, received from the Govern- 
 ment, to the Government, to carry on the work 
 that we were doing. This investment was the 
 nucleus of the Permanent Fund that we hold to 
 this day. 
 
 The first benefit paid from this money was to 
 Mrs. Colonel Casper Trepp on the death of her 
 husband, the Lieutenant Colonel of Berdan's First 
 Regiment of Sharp Shooters. He was killed at 
 
 [ 22 ] 
 
Mine Run on the thirtieth of November, 1863. 
 The next was to Mrs. McDonough, widow of Cap- 
 tain H. J. McDonough, Seventy-second New York, 
 killed at Locust Grove, November twenty-seventh. 
 The third was to G. G. White whose name does 
 not appear on the roster and may not represent 
 the officer killed, but there is no clue to his identity. 
 
 From May, 1864, to May, 1865, the receipts were 
 twelve hundred and thirty-eight dollars and sev- 
 enty-five cents. This came from dues, five hun- 
 dred and fifty; new members, four hundred and 
 eighty; interest, two hundred and eight dollars 
 and seventy-five cents. This would indicate an 
 increase in membership to four hundred and thirty- 
 five. The entries on the other side of the ledger 
 during this battle summer, autumn and winter, 
 were a sad record of the killed and suggestion of 
 want in their families. The total amount paid on 
 account of the undertakers and to the widows was 
 fourteen hundred and eighty-nine dollars. Seven 
 families were aided with sums varying from fifty 
 to two hundred dollars. The running expenses 
 were trifling and the only item of consequence was 
 that for certificates. The badge account is not 
 included in this, being kept entirely in an account 
 by itself. 
 
 As a matter of interest it may be told here, that 
 during the term of General Mott's treasurership 
 he issued two hundred and twelve badges involv- 
 ing the handling of fifty-two hundred and twenty- 
 five dollars. 
 
 The balance at the close of this year was twenty- 
 two hundred and twenty-four dollars, including 
 the amount invested. 
 
 [ 23 ] 
 
By the end of the following year this amount 
 had been increased by two hundred and twenty- 
 four dollars, of which eighty-four was interest and 
 the balance was from fourteen new memberships, 
 bringing the total of members, living and deceased, 
 to four hundred and fifty-nine. During this year 
 one benefit was paid of sixty-two dollars, and two 
 hundred and forty-five for the undertakers' bills. 
 The last bill paid of this nature was for the em- 
 balming of the body of Colonel Moore of the 
 Ninety-ninth Pennsylvania, killed at Fort Fisher, 
 January fifteenth, 1865. At that date he was the 
 Colonel of the Two hundred and third Pennsyl- 
 vania, of the Tenth Corps. 
 
 On the fifth of May, 1866, there was a balance 
 of twenty-one hundred and forty-one dollars, to 
 which only the interest was added in the follow- 
 ing year, so that after the payment of sundry ex- 
 penses there remained but two thousand and 
 ninety-five dollars. Of course no attempt was 
 made to collect dues and probably the prevailing 
 idea among the members was that the society 
 would cease to exist and that its work was ended. 
 It was no wonder that with the return of the men 
 to their homes other subjects engrossed their 
 minds and that the sentiment that created the 
 Grand Army and the Loyal Legion had not sprung 
 into life. 
 
 The officers of the Union, however, were alive 
 to their duties as in the more strenuous days, and 
 in 1867 there was a call sent out for the annual 
 meeting, which has ever since been attended with 
 ever increasing enthusiasm, in many cities and 
 towns, until the present time. 
 
 1 24 1 
 
The monetary consideration at these first meet- 
 ings was not of prime importance evidently, judg- 
 ing by the small amounts that came to the hands 
 of the Treasurer. A few new members were added 
 and fewer dues collected, and the receipts were 
 lumped by the Treasurer to whom the money was 
 turned over by the Secretary in bulk. Hence, 
 how much was collected for dues or for dinners 
 is not apparent from any figures today. When the 
 expenses exceeded the receipts the "hat was 
 passed," for the idea of holding to what money had 
 accumulated was strong in the minds of all as we 
 shall see later. Needless to say that the mem- 
 bers were not slow in making up any deficiencies 
 and that other appeals were most generously re- 
 sponded to. The largest bills in those first days 
 were for advertising, save those of the caterer, 
 who was Delmonico, or some other equally expen- 
 sive host, for the best was none too good for those 
 who had been limited in their bill of fare for four 
 years. Scattered as the members were, it was 
 necessary to advertise from Maine to Michigan 
 in any paper that was likely to attract the attention, 
 and it may indicate the condition of some of our 
 number, or what was thought to be, that Jay Cook 
 & Co., were among the recipients of the favor. 
 
 Such items as " Paid Delmonico for inciden- 
 tals four hundred and eighty-four dollars", "Draft 
 on account of Boston meeting six hundred and ten 
 dollars," (Boston always was an expensive place), 
 "Astor House two hundred and eighty-nine dol- 
 lars," "Guy's Hotel four hundred and four dollars," 
 continue up to 1876 when a halt was called and the 
 expenses of the meetings were intrusted to a com- 
 
 [ 25 ] 
 
mittee and thereafter the Treasurer's account 
 knew only dues and interest, with an occasional 
 membership, or in later years a life membership. 
 
 It was not until 1876 that the so-called Perma- 
 nent Fund was created amounting to thirteen hun- 
 dred and twenty-five dollars, and which when the 
 present Treasurer succeeded General Mott had 
 grown to fifteen hundred and forty-seven dollars 
 in 1885. At the present day it amounts to one 
 thousand dollars, being depleted by the meeting 
 at Hadley in 1897. The Contingent Fund that 
 was received by the present Treasurer amounted 
 to eighteen dollars and a few cents. In that year 
 thirty dollars was the only income outside the 
 interest of the Permanent Fund. 
 
 Then a systematic attempt was made to collect 
 the annual dues and the duty was taken from the 
 Secretary and laid upon the new Treasurer. This 
 was a great relief to the former and no burden to 
 the latter, for one now has very little idea of the 
 amount of writing Colonel Welling did. He was 
 a born letter-writer and nothing delighted him 
 more than a letter from a comrade of the Corps 
 to whom he could reply, and that was always 
 readily and most entertainingly. 
 
 The Treasurer managed to bring his yearly 
 balance to the hundred dollar mark for several 
 years, but it has been dwindling slowly until this 
 year of 1909 when it has quite disappeared and 
 permission was given to use the reserve, if neces- 
 sary. 
 
 There has been a large amount of money raised 
 since the war that does not appear in the society's 
 accounts. A very expensive badge was presented 
 
 [ 26 ] 
 
to General J. Watts De Peyster, a watch and chain 
 to Colonel Welling and a bronze medal to Major 
 Willard Bullard. A monument was erected in 
 Chelsea, Massachusetts, to the memory of Miss 
 Helen Gilson, an Army nurse in the Third Corps 
 Hospital, and one to Colonel Welling in Penning- 
 ton, N. J. A life size portrait of General Hooker 
 was presented to the town of Hadley and a bronze 
 tablet placed on the house in the town in which 
 he was born. It was the impulse of the Hadley 
 meeting that made the erection of the statue of 
 General Hooker in Boston possible, and although 
 it was erected by an appropriation of the Com- 
 monwealth, considerable sums were contributed 
 by the members of the Union in pushing the 
 movement to a successful end. 
 
 It is not the figures that interest us in these 
 matters and so they are best ignored. The satis- 
 faction is found in the fact that when an object 
 appealed to a comrade's sense of righteousness 
 there was the ready response that will be made 
 again if occasion arrives. 
 
 And so, leaving the Treasurer's dry details, let 
 us turn to the meetings that have been held since 
 the war, hastily passing in the review the events 
 that are most worthy of remembrance. 
 
 [ 27 ] 
 
THE SEQUEL. 
 
 Pursuant to a call published in the papers of 
 New York, Boston and Trenton, the Annual Meet- 
 ing was held at the Continental Hotel, Philadel- 
 phia, on the fifth of May, 1866. How many were 
 present at that time is not known, but the record 
 says "Not enough of the members of the Board 
 being present to constitute a quorum it was resolv- 
 ed to go immediately into a meeting for the elec- 
 tion of officers to serve the ensuing year." Gen- 
 eral Mott was elected President and General Mc- 
 Allister, Vice President and five officers constituted 
 the Board. 
 
 The time seems to have been devoted to amend- 
 ing the constitution and by-laws, with the idea 
 principally to have them conform to the new cir- 
 cumstances. The radical change was the dropping 
 from the "Declaration and Preamble" the state- 
 ment that the society was a benevolent one and in 
 place of that saying it was to aid brother officers, 
 etc. The new constitution was printed with the 
 reports of the Secretary and Treasurer, and an 
 "Introductory" in a little pamphlet, measuring 
 some four inches by three and consisting of twenty- 
 four pages. This is probably one of the little 
 "War-Books" that in the years to come will bring 
 a fabulous price and as it must be unknown to 
 many the "Introductory" is worth quoting, at 
 least in part. 
 
 [ 28 ] 
 
" Rejoicing in the glorious memories of the past, 
 with a hearty greeting for the present, and high 
 hopes for the future, the Third Corps Union issues 
 this Httle pamphlet to its members, now scattered 
 all over this broad land, confidently trusting that 
 it may revive the martial spirit of those days when 
 they all wore the 'blue' and the 'diamond', and 
 marched to victory with the bannered hosts of the 
 noble old Corps. 
 
 "Perchance it may come to the peaceful homes 
 and places of business — aye, it may be, to the 
 sick couch of very many who will, as they read it, 
 gaze with greater interest and with redoubled affec- 
 tion and pride on our golden decoration, and on 
 the mute but eloquent engraving which adorns 
 their dwelling. Memory will call up from her 
 treasured storehouse the scenes and associations 
 of the hurried, tiresome march, the hasty bivouac, 
 the battle, the victory, the defeat, the wounds, 
 the dead and dying comrades; while sweetly blend- 
 ing with them all comes siren winged peace, with 
 magic power, binding up the wounds of war, heal- 
 ing the solitary, mourning, riven heart, and cloth- 
 ing with monumental dignity each blade of grass 
 as it rears anew its emerald splendor over the 
 resting places of their patriot dead. 
 
 " For the widow and orphan it commemorates a 
 husband and a father who fell under the Red, the 
 White, or the Blue, a Diamond lost in the setting 
 of earth, to be reproduced in the soldier's glorious 
 signet of eternity. And while with one hand it 
 offers the afflicted ones its sincerest sympathies 
 and its most cordial remembrances, with the other 
 it proffers the hearty benevolence of its treasury. 
 
 29 
 
To all it comes as a messenger of the glorious old 
 days of the Third Corps, recalling hallowed re- 
 membrances, pleasant companionships, saluting 
 the living, remembering the dead and bidding us 
 leave for a little time the busy, bustling avocations 
 of life, that we may live over again our army days 
 and consecrate ourselves anew to this Association 
 to which we are bound by no common ties, and 
 which this day invites us to receive its affectionate 
 God speed." 
 
 The Secretary closes this introduction with a 
 tribute to Surgeon S. C. Hunkins, Third Maine, 
 whose death occurred as the book went to press. 
 
 In his annual report Colonel Welling, after 
 touching upon the topics of routine, "Since our 
 last meeting I have been constantly in receipt of 
 letters from our comrades throughout the country, 
 asking for information, which to my mind evinces 
 that the spirit of the old Third Corps, and the 
 love for this association, the only link binding us 
 to our martial days, have by no means grown cold, 
 or been permitted to die out. And while now 
 there seems to be an apparent apathy and want of 
 interest on the part of members, I am confident 
 that by using the means I have mentioned, the 
 'esprit de corps' of ancient days would leap 
 forth to new life and to a more enthusiastic de- 
 monstration than has ever been witnessed, even 
 in the midst of warlike scenes. 
 
 "The only communication to which it is my 
 pleasurable duty to call your attention is from 
 the First Massachusetts Infantry Association, of 
 Boston, bearing the signatures of General Robert 
 Cowden and Captain Isaac P. Gragg, the President 
 
 [ 30 1 
 
and Secretary. In it are embodied in a neat and 
 novel form their kindliest salutations to the Union, 
 and their assurances of never to be forgotten 
 comradeship." 
 
 Referring to the death of members he thus eulo- 
 gizes Surgeon Calhoun, his predecessor. "And 
 I should be false to my own heart promptings, as 
 w^ell as false to the sincere sentiments of our Union, 
 did I fail to commemorate in this report the death 
 of our Second Secretary, and our honored, gifted 
 friend and brother, Assistant Surgeon J. Theodore 
 Calhoun, U. S. Army. True to the spirit w^hich 
 gave such vitality to his career, he died a victim to 
 a disease v^hose mission it was his to conquer. 
 Possessing an indomitable will, a resolute spirit 
 and brilliant genius, he rose to a position in his 
 profession which adds lustre to his name and pride 
 to us today, as we pay our tribute to his memory. 
 I feel it to be not only a pleasure but a duty for me 
 to recommend to you, gentlemen, that resolutions 
 be passed and sent to his bereaved wife and family 
 expressive of our appreciation of his life and ser- 
 vices to us as a Society and deeply sympathetic 
 with them in the hour of their affliction. 
 
 "There may be others who have passed from 
 earth since our last assembly, and whose names 
 are registered on the rolls of eternity; if they are 
 omitted here, as we pay our tributes of respect to 
 departed comrades, the omission must be attri- 
 buted to want of knowledge. For such the Union 
 wears the badge of mourning on its ensign, and to 
 their families extends its warmest sympathies and 
 most heartfelt benedictions. 
 
 "As I respectfully submit my report, may I 
 
 \ 31 1 
 
indulge the hope that, as over the graves of our 
 dead comrades the green grass of an awakening 
 spring has already begun to wave, so may our 
 memory of them and those they left behind, be so 
 green, so fresh, so pure, that we shall today again 
 renew our allegiance to this society and again de- 
 clare that for the sake of our comrades in the other 
 world and their stricken, sorrowing ones in this, 
 we will be true to our name, to our past, and to our 
 future." 
 
 This extract from the first report of the Secre- 
 tary after the war days were ended is a fair sample 
 of every one that was given the men until the day 
 when his pen could no longer record his thoughts. 
 Is it any wonder that, listening to such words, 
 under the circumstances in which they were de- 
 livered, or reading them when printed by men far 
 off in the country home, a sentiment was created 
 for the "Union" that has held us together as the 
 men of no other corps have been held. There have 
 been other reasons for this, in which we have been 
 peculiarly fortunate, and one is, in having so con- 
 tinuously the presence and inspiration of our 
 loved Commander, whose interest in each and 
 every one of his "boys" has been as genuine as 
 the love of a father for his children, and who has 
 received it back into his heart in full measure. 
 This is also true in scarcely less measure in the 
 case of other men to whom we looked up and re- 
 spected. Mott, McAllister, Graham and many 
 others were constant in their attendance at the 
 meetings and never ceased to evince the liveliest 
 interest in the Union. As these passed, other 
 men came to the front, less well known at the first 
 
 [ 3^2 ] 
 
but worthy successors of those named, who kept 
 alive the spirit and, it may also be said, aroused it 
 to a greater enthusiasm, at times, than it has known 
 since the war. 
 
 The meeting in 1867 was held in Trenton. 
 General Mott was re-elected President. No mat- 
 ters other than routine came before it for con- 
 sideration. There was, doubtless, at these early 
 meetings a dinner, or "banquet", but no reference 
 is made to it, although an entry in the report of 
 the Treasurer might lead to the belief that it was 
 paid from his funds. 
 
 The meeting of 1868 was also in Trenton, The 
 report names those present, the number being but 
 twenty-two. General Sickles was elected Presi- 
 dent. The death of Mrs. Helen Gilson Osgood, 
 who was for so long a time identified with the 
 Corps as a nurse, was announced and a committee 
 reported resolutions "in honor of the departure 
 from earth of this estimable woman". Later we 
 shall read of a monument to her memory. Un- 
 fortunately, the annual reports of the Treasurer, 
 other than that recorded in his book, have not 
 been preserved for this and some years to come. 
 
 In December, 1868, there was a special meeting 
 of the Directors at Delmonico's in New York, at 
 which arrangements were made, by appointing 
 a committee, for the meeting on the coming 
 fifth of May. "The duty of said committee 
 shall be to provide an entertainment, to issue 
 tickets at such a rate as shall defray the conse- 
 quent expenses and to attend to such other matters 
 as may come under their jurisdiction as acommittee 
 of arrangements." The well known names of 
 
 [ 33 ] 
 
Cooney, Bullard, Fassett and McMichael appear 
 as members selected for the work. 
 
 On motion of Colonel McMichael it was voted: 
 
 "Whereas, There is an earnest desire among the 
 surviving officers of the Army of the Potomac for 
 the formation of a society and a general reunion 
 of all who served in that organization, 
 
 "Resolved, That it is recommended by the 
 Third Corps Union, the oldest association of that 
 army, that measures be at once taken to secure 
 the speedy accomplishment of the universally 
 expressed wish." 
 
 The committee appointed to carry out this 
 was General Hooker, Colonels McMichael and 
 Pulford, with General Sickles as the chairman. 
 
 A special meeting of the members was called 
 on the twenty-second of December, also at Del- 
 monico's, when thirty-three responded to roll call. 
 General Pleasanton was present by invitation and 
 was elected an honorary member of the Union. 
 This was done in the enthusiasm of the moment 
 and Generals Hooker and Heintzleman were im- 
 mediately proposed and elected likewise. Later 
 it was suggested by some that the constitution 
 made no provision for honorary members and it 
 took much talk to set the matter right. The 
 arrangements for the annual meeting were dis- 
 cussed, a vote passed inviting all officers of the 
 Corps, not members of the Union, to be present, 
 subscriptions were received for a monument to 
 Mrs. Helen Gilson Osgood and resolutions on the 
 death of deceased comrades. 
 
 [ 34 ] 
 
At the annual meeting on the fifth of May, 1869, 
 held at Delmonico's, an attempt was made to 
 amend the constitution and permit the election 
 of honorary members, but it failed of success. 
 Power was given the Directors to invite "distin- 
 guished officers" to the banquet. General Sickles 
 was again elected to the presidency. 
 
 The meeting in 1870 was held in Boston. Elab- 
 orate preparations had been made, although much 
 of the zest of the occasion was discounted by the 
 absence of General Sickles, who had been ap- 
 pointed Minister to Spain since the last meeting. 
 To add to it, neither General Mott nor any of the 
 distinguished officers of the Corps were able to 
 be present. Major A. Judson Clark presided at 
 the meeting. General Sickles was again the 
 choice for President but an eastern man came in 
 for second place. Colonel Charles P. Mattocks, 
 of Portland, Me., and two eastern men were put 
 upon the Board of Directors. 
 
 Captain G. W. Cooney offered the following: 
 
 "Whereas, General |. Watts De Peyster has, 
 with his pen and influenceon all occasions defended 
 and sustained the reputation of the Third Corps, by 
 giving to the public the true version of its acts in 
 the several engagements in which it participated 
 during the late war, particularly the Battle of 
 Gettysburg, therefore, 
 
 "Resolved, That a committee be authorized 
 to prepare and present to him a suitable medal, as 
 an appreciation of his efforts and as a recognition 
 of his ability, to hand down to posterity a true and 
 correct statement of the part acted by the Third 
 
 r 35 1 
 
Corps during the war. The same to be by volun- 
 tary subscriptions and of no expense to the Union." 
 
 Colonel Batchelder invited the members to visit 
 the picture of the Battle of Gettysburg, then on 
 exhibition, and offered to donate the receipts of 
 one day to the monument to be erected to Mrs. 
 Helen Gilson Osgood. General Mattocks presided 
 at the dinner and gave an oration carefully prepared, 
 by request, on the "Lessons of the War", and a 
 poem was read by Lieutenant George A. Marden, 
 First Sharp Shooters. The invited guests were 
 General Cowden, of Boston, and Mayor Shurtleff. 
 Hon. Frank B. Fay was also present, known to 
 many soldiers for his activity in the hospitals and 
 on the field as a leading member of the Christian 
 commission. 
 
 The meeting in 1871 was held at the Astor 
 House, New York. Colonel McMichael pre- 
 sided. The minutes of the meeting show that the 
 monetary condition was beginning to alarm some of 
 the members and that a fear of encroaching upon 
 the invested money had been aroused, probably 
 by the expense of the Boston meeting. After 
 quite sharp discussion the following article was 
 adopted as an amendment to the constitution. 
 "Honorary members of the Third Corps Union 
 may be elected in either of the following ways, viz.: 
 First, by a unanimous vote at any annual meeting. 
 Second, by a nomination at any stated meeting 
 and an election by a vote of three-fourths of all 
 members present at the next annual meeting." 
 The following were then declared honorary mem- 
 bers: General Alfred Pleasanton; General J. Watts 
 De Peyster; and Thomas M. Cook, representative 
 
 [ 36 ] 
 
at Third Corps headquarters for a long time of the 
 New York Herald. This entry suggests the re- 
 mark that there is no evidence that Generals 
 Hooker and Heintzleman were ever formally 
 elected members of either class. General Charles 
 K. Graham was elected President and Colonel 
 Clayton McMichael of Philadelphia, Vice Presi- 
 dent. Either at this or the former meeting life 
 memberships were provided for at the rate of 
 twenty-five dollars, relieving the members of all 
 dues. 
 
 During this year, the date is not on record, the 
 badge was presented to General De Peyster. It 
 was thus described: ''The badge is six inches long. 
 At the top, forming the pin clasp, is a shoulder 
 strap embossed with two silver stars, indicative 
 of the rank of major general. The badge depends 
 from this, and is composed of gold, tastefully 
 relieved with precious stones. The upper part 
 consists of seven gold bars on which are engraved 
 the services rendered by the recipient. Below 
 these bars is an exquisitely chased eagle with wings 
 full spread, holding in his talons a diamond or 
 lozenge, the distinguishing badge of the Third 
 Corps while in the field. On this is an enameled 
 wreath of laurel, two crossed swords and a small 
 lozenge in the center surrounded by silver rays. 
 This smaller lozenge holds a diamond worth one 
 hundred and fifty dollars. Above it, and beneath 
 the swords, is engraved the name of Heintzleman, 
 the first commander of the Corps. From the 
 lower angle of the lozenge and the two points of 
 the crossed swords, hang three pendants, lozenge 
 shaped, which represent the three divisions com- 
 
 [ 37 ] 
 
posing the old corps, when it was complete. The 
 first is set with a ruby of the finest water, and has 
 engraved on the reverse the name of the deeply 
 mourned Kearny, who originated the idea of such 
 a decoration for his division. The second is repre- 
 sented by a clear diamond bearing the name of 
 Hooker. The third is a choice sapphire and bears 
 the name of Whipple, who was mortally wounded 
 at Chancellorsville. 
 
 ''These four names, Heintzleman, Kearny, 
 Hooker and Whipple, form an epitome of the ser- 
 vices rendered the country by the officers and men 
 of the gallant old Third Corps." 
 
 A special meeting of the directors was held at 
 the call of the President, on the tenth of January, 
 1872. The reason is told by the preamble and 
 resolutions adopted. 
 
 "Whereas, General D. E. Sickles, our corps 
 commander, the U. S. Minister at Spain, is on a 
 visit to the United States, and 
 
 "Whereas, His brilliant services, as a be- 
 loved commander of our corps, as well as his dis- 
 tinguished position among the statesmen of our 
 country, reflect the highest honor upon us as a 
 society and upon the country at large, therefore, 
 
 "Resolved, That we tender to General Sickles 
 our congratulations upon his safe return to the 
 land of his birth under such favorable auspices, 
 and it gives us great satisfaction that he has availed 
 himself of the indulgence of the Department to 
 visit his home, as well as to give us an opportunity 
 to renew to him our sentiments of high regard and 
 esteem. That we tender to him a dinner, at such 
 
 [ 38 ] 
 
time and place as he may designate, previous to 
 his departure for Spain; and in the event of his 
 acceptance, the President be empowered to appoint 
 a committee to make all arrangements." 
 
 A committee was appointed with Colonel 
 McMichael as chairman. It was made up of 
 Generals Graham and Sharpe. Major Bullard, 
 Captain Fassitt, General Tremain and Captain 
 Demarest. 
 
 There are no records from which to ascertain 
 the date when the dinner was given. 
 
 The annual meeting of 1872 was held on the 
 fourth of May. General Graham, the president, 
 was absent because of illness. A large part of the 
 time of the meeting was taken up with discussing 
 amendments to the constitution, that have no 
 interest today. It appears that General Heintzle- 
 man was present. For the first time there was a 
 difference among the members as to the choice of 
 officers. Two candidates were named for presi- 
 dent. One, General Graham, the second, Colonel 
 McMichael. The result was the election of the 
 first as president and the second as vice president. 
 The city of Philadelphia, where the meeting was 
 held, extended every courtesy to the Union .The 
 meeting was held in the Council Chamber of the 
 City Hall; the Union League Club threw open its 
 doors and the citizens by many courtesies made us 
 welcome. The dinner in the evening was the 
 largest and most distinguished of any the Corps 
 had ever enjoyed. There were present Generals 
 Meade, Patterson, Heintzleman, Mott, Tremain 
 and Sewall; Hon. Morton McMichael and 
 Colonel James Forney of the Marine Corps, and a 
 
 [ 39 ] 
 
very large representation of the members of the 
 Union. Taken altogether it was voted the most 
 enthusiastic and enjoyable of any meeting that 
 had been held. On the following day those of 
 the men who remained over were taken among 
 other places to Woodlands Cemetery, where 
 General Birney is buried. 
 
 One outcome of this meeting was the attempt 
 to have a complete roster of the members printed. 
 It was put forth in the January following and from 
 the notice on the first page of the pamphlet of 
 fifteen pages, it was evidently but an attempt to 
 obtain information that would lead to a more per- 
 fect record. The names were not given in alpha- 
 betical order and but a few of them had any but 
 the regiment to which the comrade belonged. The 
 Secretary said: "There are a large number upon 
 the roll whose address is unknown to the Secretary, 
 and members will please note the address of such 
 as may come within their knowledge. If any 
 have died please mark date of death." A list of 
 the dead of the Union was appended, to the number 
 of fifty-five. 
 
 The meeting of 1873 was held in Irving Hall, 
 New York. Colonel Clayton McMichael was 
 elected President and General George H. Sharpe, 
 Vice-President. Captain Fassitt presented to the 
 Secretary, Colonel Welling, a watch and chain, 
 Colonel Morgan presented to Major Willard 
 Bullard a bronze medal. No mention is made as 
 to the donors of these gifts, or who instigated the 
 presentations. Resolutions upon the death of 
 several members occupied the time of the meeting. 
 The "banquet" was spread at Guy's, Corner of 
 
 r 40 1 
 
Broadway and Fourteenth Street. The only 
 record at hand is the bill of fare, from which it is 
 gleaned that there were present as guests, General 
 Stuart Woodford (much better known today than 
 then). General Owens, General McMahon, General 
 Davies and Hon. Richard O. Gorman. 
 
 In 1874 the meeting was in Newark. The busi- 
 ness was transacted in the City Council Chamber 
 by invitation of the Mayor. On motion of General 
 Biles the Secretary was "Requested to forward a 
 communication to the President of the United 
 States asking him to appoint at the solicitation of 
 the Third Corps Union, William P. Van Leer, son 
 of Colonel John P. Van Leer, killed at the Battle 
 of Williamsburgh, to a Cadetship at West Point." 
 
 The question of a history of the Third Corps 
 coming before the meeting it was, after many mo- 
 tions and much discussion, moved and voted, 
 "That a committee of five be appointed to confer 
 with General De Peyster as to the publication of 
 his history of the Third Corps." 
 
 On motion of Colonel Bullard the Secretary was 
 instructed "to telegraph to Congress that the Third 
 Army Corps Union would like to see the bill pass 
 for the Centennial appropriation in order that the 
 one hundredth anniversary of American liberty 
 may be a greater success." Colonel McMichael 
 was re-elected president. 
 
 A complete report of this meeting, as given by 
 the newspapers, would fill many pages. The 
 mayor gave a reception and made a speech of wel- 
 come. General Mott, in his official capacity of 
 Commander of the State Militia, with his Brigade 
 Commanders, and their staffs were present to ex- 
 
 [ 41 ] 
 
tend a welcome and in fact the freedom of the city 
 was presented, not only to the society but to every 
 individual. After the adjournment of the business 
 meeting the Fifth Veteran Regiment, commanded 
 by Colonel Barnard, with the band from Gov- 
 ernors Island, paraded in front of the City Hall, 
 and as the members of the Union present appeared 
 on the steps they presented arms. Taking posi- 
 tion immediately behind the color company the 
 march to Military Park was made, where a salute 
 was fired by Battery A, commanded by Captain 
 Kahlert. The visitors then took position and the 
 First Brigade, after inspection by General Mott, 
 passed in review. 
 
 The exercises of the evening were held at the 
 Maison Grise, with a large number of distinguished 
 guests, and the post prandial section was ex- 
 tended into the wee small hours. The most inter- 
 esting of the speakers was Cortland Parker, a 
 relative of General Kearny, who responded to the 
 toast in his memory as follows: After giving a 
 portrayal of the character of the man, the love his 
 officers and men bore him, the care, the anxiety, 
 the tenderness he evinced towards his men, he 
 said: "Shall we forget all about this brave soldier, 
 shall we forget the feeling of his brigade when the 
 order for promotion came and he was offered a 
 division .? He replied, 'Yes, I accept, if my brigade 
 is to be a part of my division. ' It was but a few 
 weeks after he took command of that division that 
 he led to the victory of Williamsburgh, of which 
 today is the anniversary. Hardly a movement 
 took place on the Peninsula but he foresaw it, and 
 wrote his friends about it. He had a remarkable 
 
 [ 42 ] 
 
foresight. Who saved our troops when they were 
 retreating on Harrison Landing ? Was it not 
 Phil Kearny ? He went through the war merely 
 the gallant soldier, while feeling that he could lead 
 a division as easily as a brigade, a corps as easily 
 as a division. Had he known how much he was 
 valued, in all probability he would not have died 
 so soon. In one letter the Secretary of War states 
 that he was waiting for the opportunity to make 
 use of such signal ability. The command of the 
 army of the Potomac was his destiny had not death 
 intervened. It was a fearful thing for us all that 
 we should lose him at that time. I shall never 
 forget that day. Handsome, nobly surrendered 
 by General Lee, his body conveyed to Washington 
 and brought here. His person was hardly known 
 here, having lived so much abroad. But the Com- 
 mon Council and the citizens of Newark insisted 
 and the cortege came over from the Passaic River, 
 revered by silent multitudes, carried through our 
 streets to the extreme end of our city and con- 
 veyed to its last resting place amid the most solemn 
 ceremonies." 
 
 The meeting of 1875 was held in New York. 
 At this meeting there was a thorough revision of 
 the constitution, following the report of a com- 
 mittee appointed the year before. The name of 
 the society was changed from "Third Corps 
 Union" to "Third Army Corps Union". All sug- 
 gestion of aid to members is discarded and the 
 object of the society is declared to be "to perpet- 
 uate the history of the Corps". A separation of 
 the money in the Treasurer's hands was made, for 
 a Permanent and a Contingent Fund. Trustees 
 
 [ 43 ] 
 
were to be elected to have the control of the Perma- 
 nent Fund, which was to be credited with all the 
 money in the treasury after the debts of the fiscal 
 year were paid. Other changes were not of great 
 consequence to us of today. 
 
 The President was requested to "present to 
 his Excellency, the President of the United States, 
 the name of Frederick Clay Bowers, son of Captain 
 Charles F. Bowers, late eighth New Jersey, for 
 appointment as cadet at large to the U. S. Naval 
 Academy, as a recognition of the services of our 
 comrade who fought gallantly in the late war, for 
 the preservation of the Union." 
 
 The Secretary was instructed "To thank the 
 President of the United States, General U. S. 
 Grant, for prompt and very satisfactory attention 
 to the recommendation of the Union, for the ap- 
 pointment of William P. Van Leer to the Military 
 Academy at West Point." 
 
 The election resulted in the choice of General 
 George H. Sharpe for President and General 
 William Sewall for Vice President. 
 
 In adjourning. General Tremain moved that 
 "The next annual reunion be on May fifth, as pre- 
 scribed by the constitution, and be adjourned with- 
 out the transaction of business, to a later day in 
 that year, to be named by the Board." The ob- 
 ject of this motion, not referred to in the records, 
 was to afford the society the opportunity of being 
 in Philadelphia at the Centennial Reunion. 
 
 The meeting of 1876 was held as prescribed and 
 adjourned after electing General Joseph B. Kiddoo, 
 U. S. A., late One hundred and thirty-seventh 
 
 [ 44 ] 
 
Pennsylvania, a member of the Union. There is 
 no record of a Philadelphia meeting other than 
 the call of the Secretary, for the fifth of June, at 
 the Union League House. The dinner to be 
 served in the banquet room of the League. 
 
 The distinguished guests present at this meeting 
 were: Governor Hartranft, Generals Hooker, 
 Hardin, Dix, Hancock, Ingalls, McCook, Hum- 
 phrey and Potter. 
 
 The meeting of 1877 was held in New York at 
 Delmonico's. General Sewall was elected Presi- 
 dent and General Tremain, Vice President. Gen- 
 eral Sickles was present and answered to the toast 
 of the President at the dinner in the evening. 
 Others at the board were Generals Butterfield, 
 Pleasanton, McCook, Kiddoo, Hobart Ward and 
 Crawford. It is perhaps superfluous to say that 
 the comrades who were present at this welcome 
 to General Sickles on his return from Spain, were 
 those who never fail to respond to the annual call, 
 as well as many who were seldom seen at the meet- 
 ings. General Sickles had, as his guest. Colonel 
 Lopez de Queralta, "a leader of the insurgent 
 forces in his native land," as the papers reported. 
 
 The meeting of 1878 was at Newburg, on the 
 Hudson, on the seventh of May, the fifth having 
 fallen on Sunday. The officers who served dur- 
 ing the last year were elected by acclamation. As 
 at Newark so at Newburg, city officials and citizens 
 alike vied with one another to do honor to their 
 visitors. On arrival we were escorted to the 
 Mayor's office, where a reception was held, the 
 mayor at that time being Colonel Weygant of the 
 
 [ 45 ] 
 
One hundred twenty-fourth New York, which was 
 largely recruited from the locality and known to 
 us as the "Orange-Blossoms". Of that com- 
 mittee of reception were Major Ramsdell and Dr. 
 Montfort, well known members of the Regiment 
 and the Union. After the reception we were given 
 a lunch at the hotel, with a speech of welcome from 
 Rev. W. K. Hall, and an invitation to the Head- 
 quarters of Washington. Carriages for all were 
 provided and upon arrival we were welcomed by 
 Hon. Joel T. Headley, in behalf of the Trustees. 
 His address was a long but an exceedingly inter- 
 esting one, calculated to impress us with the sacred 
 memories clustering about the spot. It would be 
 interesting reading today, but its length is unsuited 
 to this review. The conclusion, however, may 
 well be reproduced. 
 
 "Yet here, right in front of this building, the 
 old, ragged. Continentals were drawn up in line 
 for the last time, and here they broke ranks for 
 the last time, while the band played the mournful 
 tune of Roslyn Castle with which they were accus- 
 tomed to bear their dead comrades to their graves. 
 Then ensued a scene that the pen of the historian 
 has never described and never will. Gallant 
 officers who had ridden all steadily through the 
 storm of battle and periled their lives without fear 
 or thought, for the sake of their country, stood 
 alone, or in groups, on this green bluff, penniless 
 and with no way of reaching their still more penni- 
 less families, except by begging. Of all the sad 
 scenes that long sad war produced, this last break- 
 ing up of the army furnished the saddest of all. I 
 will not attempt to portray it. I will only say the 
 
 [ 46 ] 
 
conflict was over, and the flag that had floated over 
 this building for more than a year and a half was 
 taken down, and silence and solitude fell upon it. 
 It remained neglected and forgotten until 1850 
 when the State, having purchased it, consecrated 
 it to its present use amid imposing ceremonies. 
 General Scott pulled the halyards that sent the 
 flag up the staff", bearing the inscription of Liberty 
 and Union, Now and Forever, One and Insepar- 
 able. In floating out to the breeze amid the ac- 
 clamation of the people, it floats out today a 
 welcome to the heroes of later battles and of the 
 last great conflict for the Union," 
 
 General Sewall responded for the society and 
 General Hooker made a speech replete with pa- 
 triotism. General Sickles also addressed the 
 gathering after which another lunch was served, 
 to the music of a band stationed outside, after 
 which we re-entered "the carriages and were driven 
 to Balmville where we rode through the grounds of 
 several beautiful estates, commanding fine views of 
 the Hudson and in returning stopped at the house 
 of Hon. Homer Ramsdell for refreshments. 
 
 After this the business meeting was held, occupy- 
 ing little time. The following resolution adopted, 
 relating to General Mott, although he was not 
 mentioned by name, was the only action of note. 
 
 "Whereas, one of our most distinguished com- 
 rades, an ex-President of the Union, has recently 
 passed through the fires of a Legislative investiga- 
 tion, on charges aff"ecting his character as a public 
 oflBcer and a man, and 
 
 "Whereas, He was honorably acquitted of the 
 same and his character fully vindicated, therefore, 
 
 \ 47 1 
 
**Resolved, That we congratulate him on his 
 complete and handsome vindication, and hail his 
 presence here today as that of a worthy comrade 
 and gentleman. We rejoice at the record he has 
 made, both at home and in the army, and tender 
 him the assurances of our renewed confidence and 
 esteem." 
 
 The dinner was an elaborate and prolonged one. 
 Among the guests were General Schofield and 
 Colonel Batchelder, the historian of Gettysburg. 
 The speakers were many but notably Generals 
 Hooker, Sickles and Robinson. The memory of 
 Lincoln was responded to by Judge Taylor, who 
 during his speech said, "And now guide your eyes, 
 gentlemen, (pointing to a flag), to the flag that 
 decorated the box in that theatre where Mr. 
 Lincoln sat, that flag that caught the foot of the 
 assassin as he jumped from the box to the stage, 
 the flag that secured the arrest and conviction and 
 the ultimate death of the assassin. It appears as 
 if that flag, which you had been defending for four 
 long years, in the defence of which thousands of 
 lives and millions of money had been expended, 
 rose instinctively to arrest that dastardly assassin 
 and caught him on the stage of the theatre and 
 secured his ultimate execution. There is more 
 in that flag, gentlemen, than many think. You 
 have loved it greatly. You have risked your all, 
 sacrificed your all, for its defence. And it appears 
 as if, in times of peril and emergency, there exists 
 in it an instinct for its own protection, that will 
 rise to defend itself against a dastardly and cow- 
 ardly attack." The speech-making was kept up 
 
 [ 48 ] 
 
until a late hour, many who had never, or seldom, 
 been heard at the meetings, being obliged to say 
 something. All joined hands and sang "Auld 
 Lang Syne" and our fifteenth anniversary ban- 
 quet ended. 
 
 The next day four carriage loads drove to West 
 Point over the new mountain road. There were 
 Generals Hooker, Sewall and Rusling; Chaplains 
 Twichell and Hall; Colonels Welling and Bachel- 
 der; Majors Purdy, Noonan and Shreve. Several 
 ladies were also of the party. The day was spent 
 in viewing the grounds and taking in the beauties 
 of the spot, but beyond no one of the number will 
 ever forget the life infused into the company by 
 the conversation of General Hooker, with his 
 reminiscences of Cadet life and of distinguished 
 people of the generation, in every walk of life, 
 from Kate Chase to "Saint Abraham". 
 
 The meeting of 1879 was held at Delmonico's 
 in New York. General Henry E. Tremain was 
 elected President and General Edwin R. Biles 
 Vice President. A discussion arose upon a motion 
 to repeal that clause of the constitution providing 
 for members in succession. The motion was lost. 
 
 There were present at the dinner Generals 
 Hooker, Sickles, Robinson, Davis, Tibbetts, Gra- 
 ham and Mott. 
 
 At the meeting of May fifth, 1880, about thirty 
 members were present, General Biles in the chair. 
 Inasmuch as it had been previously determined to 
 hold a meeting at Cape May City on the eighth 
 of July, this was merely to comply with the re- 
 quirements of the constitution. 
 
 Attention was called to the deaths since our 
 
 f 49 1 
 
last meeting of Generals Hooker, Heintzleman and 
 Tibbetts, and Generals De Peyster, Robinson and 
 Colonel Otis were requested to prepare "suitable 
 resolutions". 
 
 After a lunch the party sailed down the harbor, 
 by invitation of General Graham, on a Govern- 
 ment tug. In the evening General Sickles enter- 
 tained a few at dinner. 
 
 The adjourned meeting at Cape May was largely 
 attended. The report of the Treasurer and a 
 roster of members was issued in this year. 
 
 In 1 88 1 the meeting was at the Astor House, 
 New York. General Biles was elected President 
 and Major Shreve , Vice President. Following the 
 business meeting a large party accepted the invi- 
 tation of General Graham to sail down the harbor, 
 which sail was quite beyond Sandy Hook, giving 
 the comrades a healthy appetite for the dinner in 
 the evening. 
 
 About seventy sat down at this banquet, almost 
 all members, as at that day the ladies were not 
 invited to swell the number. 
 
 The reports of the committee of the resolutions 
 on the deaths of Generals Hooker and Heintzle- 
 man were presented at this meeting and later were 
 printed. 
 
 In 1882 the meeting was in Jersey City, at the 
 Hotel Windsor. Major William P. Shreve was 
 elected President and Major Bullard, Vice Presi- 
 dent. On motion a committee was named to con- 
 fer with Colonel Bachelder upon the position of the 
 Third Corps monuments at Gettysburg. A sug- 
 gestion was made looking to having the Union 
 
 [ 50 ] 
 
incorporated, but the committee named for that 
 purpose has never reported. 
 
 The annual meeting of 1883 was at Washington, 
 May sixteenth, adjourned from the fifth. Where 
 that was held is not shown. This arrangement 
 was that we might meet with the Army of the 
 Potomac Society. There was no dinner of the 
 Corps, but all joined with the Potomac Society in 
 the celebration and therefore the Corps meeting, 
 as such, was practically lost sight of. This meet- 
 ing extinguished what sentiment there was in our 
 society for changing our meetings to the dates of 
 the Potomac Army. Hereafter, save on special 
 occasions, we decided to keep our individuality 
 and celebrate our own anniversary. 
 
 In 1884 the meeting was in New York. Major 
 J. Barclay Fassitt was elected President and Colo- 
 nel Morgan, Vice President. The dinner was at 
 Sieghortner's, 32 Lafayette Place. Nothing is 
 known about this meeting other than this, the 
 Secretary being kept from it, as a resolution shows, 
 by family affliction. 
 
 The meeting of 1885 was held in New York. 
 Colonel Bankson T. Morgan was elected Presi- 
 dent and Colonel Rafferty, Vice President. The 
 meeting was one of the saddest in the history of 
 the Union because of the death of General Mott, 
 in the previous November. He had been the first 
 and only Treasurer, and Major William P. Shreve 
 was chosen as his successor. In the absence of 
 the resolutions passed at this time it is not inap- 
 propriate to honor the memory of this well loved 
 comrade by quoting the following obituary notice. 
 
 "General Gershom Mott, a distinguished sol- 
 
 51 
 
dier of the volunteer service during the Civil War, 
 and a veteran of the Mexican War, died suddenly 
 in New York City of heart disease on November 
 twenty-ninth. 
 
 "On April twenty-third, 1847, ^^ "^^^ appointed 
 a Second Lieutenant of the Tenth U. S. Infantry 
 and remained in service until 1848, when he 
 returned to his native state, New Jersey. When 
 the war broke out he was commissioned Lieuten- 
 ant Colonel of the Fifth New Jersey Volunteers, 
 and for his distinguished conduct was soon after- 
 wards promoted to Colonel of the Sixth New Jersey. 
 For gallantry at Bull Run, where he was severely 
 wounded, he was promoted Brigadier General. 
 He was, on returning to the field, assigned to the 
 command of the Third Brigade, Second Division, 
 Third Corps of the Potomac, succeeding to the 
 command of the Division. At the Battle of Chan- 
 cellorsville General Mott was again wounded. On 
 September tenth, 1864, he was brevetted Major 
 General and when the army was disbanded he was 
 placed in command of the Provisional Corps, 
 which was formed of the remnants of the Second 
 and Third Corps. When that was mustered out 
 General Mott was appointed on the Wirz Com- 
 mission. He was promoted to the full rank of 
 Major General, and on the twentieth of February 
 1866, left the service under a resignation, pre- 
 viously tendered. Since then he has held several 
 prominent positions in his native state, one of 
 them the commander of the New Jersey National 
 Guard, with the rank of Major General. The 
 body was escorted to the State House in Trenton 
 by the National Guard. It laid in state from 
 
 r 52 ] 
 
noon to two P. M. The Governor and other 
 distinguished officials were present and Major 
 General Hancock, his warm friend, attended by 
 his staff. The remains were taken to Riverview 
 Cemetery for interment." 
 
 A resolution was passed congratulating General 
 Grant upon his "Having started on the road to 
 recovery." Another was sent to the Society of the 
 Army of the Potomac, in session at Baltimore, 
 asking their support in a petition to Congress to 
 make an appropriation for a statue to General 
 Hooker. 
 
 The meeting of 1886 was in New York, at the 
 Hoffman House. Colonel Thomas Rafferty was 
 elected President and Colonel A. Judson Clark, 
 Vice-President. General Sickles moved the ap- 
 pointment of a committee inviting the officers, 
 non-commissioned officers and privates belongingto 
 the Third Corps to assemble at Gettysburg on 
 the second of July next, to celebrate the twenty- 
 third anniversary of the battle. 
 
 To the Treasurer this meeting is memorable 
 as the one on which the first money was taken from 
 the Permanent fund for expenses. The most 
 important measure introduced, and one that at first 
 seemed so radical as to be impossible of success, 
 was that of General Sickles, which proposed an 
 amendment to the constitution providing for the 
 admission of private soldiers to the privileges of 
 membership in the Union. It was passed in the 
 following year and the result has been greater 
 than could have been expected, in promoting the 
 best interests of the Society and giving it a new 
 life. 
 
 [ 53 ] 
 
The meeting of 1887 was held at the Windsor 
 Hotel in New York. Colonel A. Judson Clark 
 was elected President and General Collis, Vice 
 President. A committee was appointed, on motion 
 of General Sickles, "To take steps looking to a 
 reunion of the Army of the Potomac and the Army 
 of Northern Virginia, at Gettysburg, on the anni- 
 versary of the battle in 1888." Those appointed 
 were Generals Carr, Sharpe, Robinson and Gra- 
 ham, and Colonels McMichael and Clark. 
 
 The report of the Secretary, that has been pre- 
 served, closes thus: — "As we come hither each 
 year to grasp one another's hands in joyous greet- 
 ing, it seems that the heads grow a trifle whiter, 
 the voices slightly more tremulous, the step a 
 little less elastic — but the heart, aye, the heart, 
 is just as young, just as buoyant, just as fresh as 
 in the good old days of yore. In one more year 
 those of us who can answer the roll call will 
 come to the celebration of the twenty-fifth anni- 
 versary of the Third Corps Union. A quarter of 
 a century! and what a host of precious memories 
 are centered in those words! What forms, long 
 since gone to their rest are conjured up in this 
 presence, what a history is written in that recol- 
 lection ! 
 
 "Absorbed in such reflections we can easily 
 imagine ourselves once again in the midst of war's 
 dread preparations, and from our watch tower 
 looking down on such scenes, as we all have wit- 
 nessed, can say: 
 
 "Is it the frost that glitters so white! 
 Is it the wind in yonder glen! 
 
 [ 54 ] 
 
No! No! there are tents on the mountain height 
 And that is the marshalhng sound of men. 
 
 Bright o'er an army the morning shines, 
 Gleaming as o'er a ruffled lake; 
 Dark lie the cannons along the lines, 
 Like hurricane clouds before they break. 
 
 Over the hill and over the valley 
 Wildly the clarions call to the rally! 
 Float, banner, float! bright as the sunset, 
 Blow, bugles, blow! blow for the onset." 
 
 "Those of us who have survived the conflict, 
 after witnessing the ravages of the battle field 
 and the ruins that smouldered in war's wasting 
 track, purpose with the nation's help, to people 
 these fields with voiceless tenants. There we 
 propose shall stand the storied urn and animated 
 bust! there shall be brought the marble of Italy 
 and New England and the soft tinted free stone, 
 from the bosom of our own prairies, wrought into 
 a thousand memorial shapes, and telling the story 
 of a thousand heroic lives. And there too, realiz- 
 ing the contrast of the before and the after, which 
 the pen of Tennyson so grandly describes, again 
 accept his word as the voice of our souls: — 
 
 "Is it a ruin old and gray 
 That glimmers in dusky twilight so ? 
 A ruin whose walls and people lay 
 Mingled together, in dust below, 
 O'er which the moon of lurid red 
 Wanders in smoky vapors lost ? 
 
 [ 55 ] 
 
No! No! 'tis the shadow field of the dead, 
 And the wreck of a discomfited foe! 
 Over the hill and over the valley, 
 Never shall clarion call them to rally. 
 Droop, banners, droop, droop like the willow! 
 Weep, angels, weep! O'er the soldier's pillow!" 
 
 The meeting in 1888 was held at the Windsor 
 Hotel in New York. General Sickles was elected 
 President and General Collis, Vice President. 
 
 The following letter was read. After reading it 
 was laid on the table without action. 
 
 "To the Directors, 
 
 Third Corps Union, 
 
 Comrades: — 
 
 I hereby respectfully tender my resignation of 
 the position held for many years of Trustee of the 
 Permanent Fund. I do so because The Corps 
 has honored me sufficiently by having made me, 
 during my long connection with it. President for 
 two terms, Vice President, Director and Trustee, 
 and I have arrived at that time of life when I no 
 longer desire to be troubled with any official posi- 
 tion, but simply to be one of the rank and file. 
 Moreover, I hold strongly to the opinion that the 
 interest of the Corps will best be served by rota- 
 tion in office, and the infusion of new blood into 
 prominent positions. 
 
 Cordially yours, 
 (Signed) Charles K. Graham." 
 
 It was ordered that another roster be printed, 
 that a design for a button-hole badge be prepared, 
 
 [ 56 ] 
 
and that all those persons who had been elected 
 to the Union, but had failed to qualify, be dropped. 
 
 Among the after dinner speakers were Rev. J. 
 R. Paxton, General Woodford, General Horace 
 Porter and General Sickles. 
 
 The report of the Secretary at this meeting was 
 of the same patriotic character that colored all his 
 words. He stated that more members had been 
 added to the society during the last year in con- 
 sequence of the amendment of the constitution, 
 than for the five preceding. Among the deaths 
 announced was that of Colonel RafFerty, a former 
 President. In closing the Secretary said, "And 
 now, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of this society 
 and with a grand reunion at Gettysburg in the 
 near future, permit me to speak a word of an old 
 and loved and trusted commander, General Joe 
 Hooker. Surely we ought not to pass this occa- 
 sion by without a word to his memory. With all 
 due deference to the eminent abilities, patriotism 
 and honesty of General George G. Meade, the 
 battle of Gettysburg was General Joe Hooker's 
 conception and Joe Hooker's victory. Relin- 
 quishing his command, at Frederick, he said with 
 moistened eyes, 'It is all right. General Meade is 
 a good fellow and a brave man and will command 
 the army well; individuals are of no account in 
 this war, each must do what the country calls him 
 to do.' No malice, no pique, no rivalry, no 
 off'ended dignity, — only lofty patriotism, high 
 conception of duty and the loyal performance ot 
 it, conscientiously understood, and faithfully per- 
 formed, — this was Joe Hooker. 
 
 "No one man was the entire hero of Gettys- 
 
 [ 57 ] 
 
burg. Every soldier present there is a sharer 
 in that honor. The influence of Hooker never 
 left the army of the Potomac until it was mustered 
 out of service, under the shadow of the Capitol. 
 
 "And now, as we enjoy the mutual intercourse 
 of the hour, let us pledge ourselves that we will 
 meet, God willing, on the historic field, to honor 
 the memory of the heroic dead, over whose graves 
 again gleams the shimmer and sunshine of an 
 awakening spring." 
 
 Less than a month before the meeting of 1889 
 Major General Charles K. Graham died at Lake- 
 wood, N. J. The funeral from the Presbyterian 
 Church on Twenty-Third Street was conducted, 
 at his request, without military honors. It is well 
 to refresh the memory by recalling the record of 
 this much loved comrade, as told at that time. 
 
 "Charles Kinnard Graham, civil engineer, ex- 
 surveyor and ex-naval officer of the port of New 
 York died from pneumonia, April fifteenth, in the 
 fifty-fifth year of his age. In 1841 he became a 
 midshipman in the Navy, serving in the Gulf 
 during the Mexican War, after which he resigned, 
 returning to his native city and devoting himself 
 to the study of civil engineering. In 1857 he was 
 appointed constructing engineer of the Brooklyn 
 Navy Yard, the dry docks and landings being 
 built under his supervision. In 1861 he joined 
 the army and became Colonel of the Fifth Ex- 
 celsior Regiment and in November, 1863, a Briga- 
 dier General. He was severely wounded in the 
 Battle of Gettysburg and after recovery was 
 assigned to the command of gun boats on the 
 James River, and was the first to carry our colors 
 
 [ 58 ] 
 
up that river in 1864. He was brevetted Major 
 General in March, 1865. From 1873 to 1875 he 
 was chief engineer of the Dock Department, and 
 surveyor of the port of New York, from 1878 to 
 1883. In that year he was appointed naval officer, 
 which post he held until 1885. He leaves no 
 family, being predeceased by his wife in August 
 last." 
 
 The meeting of 1889 was held at the Windsor. 
 General Collis was elected President and Colonel 
 Weygant, Vice President. Among the letters read 
 by the Secretary was one from General Pleasanton 
 regretting his inability to attend. The resolutions 
 on the death of General Graham are not incor- 
 porated in the report. 
 
 At the dinner were present Generals Sherman 
 and Butterfield and Judge Brady. General Sher- 
 man was elected an honorary member and pre- 
 sented with a badge of the society. 
 
 At this date the Secretary's record book closes 
 and when the new one opens the first entry is for 
 the year 1896. The only knowledge of what was 
 done during those years is gleaned from the manu- 
 script reports of the Secretary for 1892, (this 
 report was printed) 1894, 1895 and 1896. The 
 only facts to be obtained from them are the names 
 of those who had died during the year, yet they 
 are most interesting reading. A few clippings 
 from the newspapers add somewhat to our knowl- 
 edge. 
 
 The meeting of 1890 was held in Newburg, 
 as agreed at the previous meeting, and Colonel 
 Charles Weygant was elected President. The 
 absence of the Treasurer from that meeting ac- 
 
 [ 59 ] 
 
counts for not even the newspaper notices having 
 been preserved. 
 
 The meeting of 189 1 was probably held in Troy, 
 New York, where General Joseph B. Carr was 
 elected President. The Treasurer was again 
 absent. 
 
 The meeting of 1892 was held in Boston, where 
 Colonel William L. Candler was elected President 
 and Captain Benjamin Murphy, Vice President. 
 Our latest roster gives Captain Murphy as the 
 President elected, but it is an error, as he was 
 not chosen until the following. For this meeting 
 a local committee was appointed and every means 
 used to make the occasion a success, as it cer- 
 tainly was, and to add members to the society, 
 particularly from the enlisted men. The presence 
 of Generals Carr, Sickles and Butterfield made 
 the occasion a noted one. After the business 
 meeting the comrades were escorted to Long Wharf 
 by the band of the First Regiment, where three 
 steamers were at their disposal for a sail down 
 the harbor. Governor Russell, the Mayor of Bos- 
 ton, many invited guests, including ladies, were 
 of the party. At Deer Island lunch was offered 
 by the city, after which the party re-embarked 
 and went to Fort Warren where a salute of seven- 
 teen guns was given and they were received with 
 military honors. At six o'clock they were back 
 again at the Parker House, where dinner was 
 served at seven. There were more than the usual 
 number of invited guests and speakers, the Gov- 
 ernor being the chief attraction, who in concluding 
 an eloquent speech said: — "When General Sickles 
 and General Longstreet met in cordial friendship 
 
 [ 60 ] 
 
and recalled the days of their bitter and almost 
 fatal hostility, when southern and northern troops 
 can meet on battle fields and about those memo- 
 rials which will make history for future genera- 
 tions, when they can exchange trophies of war, I 
 think it is too late for any other men to recall the 
 bitterness of the fight, the hatred that separated 
 us into sections, controversies that now, thank 
 God, are ended. It is time to rejoice that God 
 has reunited us all." 
 
 In the course of his remarks General Sickles 
 said: — "General Hooker once said that the great- 
 est pleasure in life was campaigning in the coun- 
 try of the enemy, but I would somewhat amend 
 that and say that the charm of life is campaigning 
 in the country of friends, with the Governor of 
 Massachusetts and the Mayor of Boston for your 
 hosts." 
 
 The only thing to be said for the meeting of 
 1893, that was held at the Plaza, New York, is 
 that Captain Benjamin Murphy was elected Presi- 
 dent. A committee was named to look after the 
 arrangements of the meeting in Washington, in the 
 following year. 
 
 The meeting at Washington in 1894 lasted two 
 days. The local committee was composed of 
 General Chauncey McKeever, General Joseph 
 Dickinson, Dr. James E. Dexter and Captain M. 
 J. Foote. Among the many recreations was a 
 tally-ho ride to Arlington and Cabin John Bridge. 
 Colonel Vv^illiam Plimley was elected President. 
 
 As the proceedings of the meeting were issued 
 in pamphlet form, we know that the constitution 
 was once more amended, this time to permit of 
 
 [ 61 ] 
 
the formation of "auxiliary branches" of the 
 Union, where there were survivors of the Corps. 
 The only place that took advantage of the privi- 
 lege was Washington. 
 
 A resolution was passed requesting General 
 Sickles to present to the Secretary of War the 
 application of Major J. Barclay Fassitt for a 
 medal of honor for an act of distinguished gallan- 
 try in recapturing a battery at Gettysbury. (This 
 was in due course bestowed upon Captain Fassitt.) 
 Colonel Bumpus presented to the Union the origi- 
 nal draft of the minutes of the first meeting of the 
 Third Army Corps Union, dated September sec- 
 ond, 1863, and signed by Captain J. C. Briscoe. 
 (The present whereabouts of these minutes is not 
 known.) A resolution was passed deprecating the 
 discharge of veterans from the public service. 
 
 After the business meeting a reception was given 
 at the White House and later a visit was made to 
 the Capitol. The announcement that the next 
 meeting would be held in Hadley, Mass., the birth- 
 place of General Hooker was received with much 
 enthusiasm and preliminary steps were taken 
 looking to the event. 
 
 On the twentieth of December, previous to this 
 meeting, the President, Colonel William L. Candler, 
 died. He was buried with full military honors, 
 from Trinity Church, Boston, by the Military 
 Order of the Loyal Legion. In the army Colonel 
 Candler was most widely known as an Aide on 
 the staff of General Hooker. In the resolutions 
 passed at the time it was most truthfully said that 
 "To us who knew him well it is saying but little 
 of a career which was so distinguished as Colonel 
 
 [ 62 ] 
 
Candler's, that he was a most gallant, intelligent 
 and conspicuous figure through all the vicissitudes 
 of the campaigns of the Third Corps, sharing with 
 fortitude the disasters and contributing to its 
 glories." 
 
 Colonel Candler entered the service as First 
 Lieutenant, First Massachusetts, in 1861; was 
 promoted Captain and A. A. G. in 1862; Brevet 
 Major, March 1865, for gallantry at Fair Oaks; 
 Lieutenant Colonel in 1865 for gallant conduct 
 at Antietam and Colonel for same at Chancellors- 
 ville. 
 
 Another death in March of this year, was that 
 of General Hiram Berdan, He was without any 
 military training but was a noted rifleman, at the 
 outbreak of the war, and conceived the idea of 
 enlisting a regiment of experts, to be armed with 
 target rifles, and used as sharp shooters. The 
 First Regiment was easily raised, a company from 
 each of the states being the first idea, but so many 
 recruits appeared that some states furnished two. 
 This led to the Second Regiment which was never 
 recruited above eight companies. Once in Wash- 
 ington Colonel Berdan modified his plan and 
 besieged the War Department for breech loading 
 rifles. His persistency was so great that he made 
 himself a terror to the department, but he finally 
 obtained Colt's revolving rifles which nearly caused 
 a mutiny in the regiments, as they had been 
 promised Sharps. The Second Regiment, how- 
 ever, compromised on the promise that the Sharps 
 would come later and was attached to General 
 McDowell, while the First went to the Peninsula. 
 Could the history of all these companies be told 
 
 f 63 1 
 
it would fill several volumes. At Chancellorsville 
 and Gettysburg they did remarkable service, for 
 which Berdan was brevetted Brigadier and Major 
 General. He was mustered out after the latter 
 fight because of his failure to obtain the appoint- 
 ment of Brigadier. 
 
 The dinner at Willard's was in every way a 
 success. A poem by David Graham Adee entitled 
 Gettysburg and inscribed to the survivors of the 
 Corps was read. A single verse will give an idea 
 of the quality: — 
 
 "Twas the third day of the fight 
 And the guns upon our right 
 Were booming shot and shell 
 And we heard the Rebel yell, 
 When in front of his command. 
 With his brave sword in his hand, 
 Amid flaming fires of hell 
 That our gallant leader fell, 
 At Gettysburg." 
 
 Unfortunately for the meter it was the second 
 day instead of the third that witnessed the scene 
 he embalmed in verse. 
 
 The meeting in Hadley, the birthplace of 
 General Hooker, on the sixth of May, 1895, the 
 fifth falling on Sunday, would take quite a book 
 to describe thoroughly. The most thorough prep- 
 arations were made for it by committees, both the 
 local and those in New York and Boston. In the 
 latter place it was conceived and from there most 
 of the work was done that resulted in procuring 
 a life size portrait of the General, painted by 
 Harvey Young, that was presented to the Town of 
 
 [ (54 1 
 
Hadley. It was in every way satisfactory as a 
 likeness and a work of art and will grace the 
 Town Hall for many years to come and help to add 
 another chapter of patriotism to those already 
 written in the history of that ancient and beauti- 
 ful town. A bronze tablet was also placed on the 
 house in which the General was born, and which 
 unfortunately was burned April 6, 1898. 
 
 The extraordinary expense to be incurred re- 
 quiring the raising of quite a sum of money and 
 from every quarter, in sums from a dollar up, 
 there was realized the amount of twenty-six hun- 
 dred dollars and a little over. An immense tent 
 was provided, in which the exercises were held, 
 and probably up to that time this little town had 
 never seen such an immense gathering. 
 
 The exercises opened Monday evening with a 
 Camp Fire by the Grand Army, in the Northamp- 
 ton Opera House. On Tuesday morning between 
 seven and eight the men fell in behind the division 
 and brigade flags that had been provided for this 
 occasion, and escorted by W. L. Baker Post, of the 
 Grand Army of Northampton, numbering one 
 hundred and sixty men, St. Joseph's band of 
 twenty-two pieces, Company I, Second Regiment 
 M. V. M., Agricultural College Cadets, with their 
 band of sixteen pieces, and the Meadow City drum 
 corps of twenty pieces, they paraded the streets of 
 Northampton. There were about one hundred 
 and twenty-five Third Corps men in the column, 
 led by General Chauncey McKeever, followed by 
 General Sickles, General Tremain and the ladies 
 of the party in carriages. The rear of the column 
 was brought up by Edwin L. Stanton Post of 
 
 \ 65 1 
 
Amherst. At the station a train of ten cars was 
 waiting to convey them to Hadley, with the excep- 
 tion of those in carriages, who took the dehghtful 
 country drive. The ladies were Mrs. T. R. 
 Mathews and Miss Kennard, Mrs. G. W. West, 
 Miss Sylvester, Mrs. Cook, Miss Welling, Mrs. 
 Lucy Berry Snow. 
 
 Other than Third Corps men there were no 
 distinguished officers. There were, however, 
 brought together for the first time Cadet Heintzle- 
 man, a grandson of General Heintzleman, Mr. 
 Hiram Berry Snow, a grandson of General Berry 
 who was killed at Chancellorsville, and Colonel 
 Joseph Hooker Wood, a nephew of General 
 Hooker. These all joined the Union, the first 
 two as life members. 
 
 Arriving at Hadley the column was reinforced 
 by the following organizations: — Second Regiment 
 Band from Springfield, and Posts E. K. Wilcox, 
 Kilpatrick, George C. Strong and Charles C. Smith. 
 Thence through the broad, elm-shaded street of old 
 Hadley they passed to the great tent that was sup- 
 posed to seat thirty-five hundred people, but was 
 too small to accommodate the crowd. 
 
 After "attention" had been sounded by the 
 bugler the prayer was made by Comrade Reverend 
 St. John Chambre. Comrade Orville W. Prouty 
 of the Selectmen of Hadley welcomed us to the 
 town and the President, Major William Plimley, 
 responded. General John W. Kimball gave the 
 welcome to Massachusetts after which there was 
 music by the Glee Club of Hopkins Academy and 
 a poem by Comrade J. Howard Jewett. Gen- 
 eral H. E. Tremain then gave the address upon the 
 
 [ 66 ] 
 
life and service of General Hooker, a scholarly and 
 carefully prepared eulogy that has since been 
 printed with other writings of the author. Gen- 
 eral Sickles presented the portrait of General 
 Hooker, in a lengthy address, mostly reminiscent 
 and personal and the picture was accepted by Dr. 
 Franklin Bonney, in behalf of the town. It is 
 needless to say that all of these proceedings are a 
 volume in themselves, to say nothing of the articles 
 in the newspapers of the day brought forth by the 
 occasion, not in Massachusetts alone, but also in 
 New York and Pennsylvania. 
 
 The dinner was served in the Northampton 
 City Hall and was only a great continuation of 
 the ceremonies in the tent, all and everything 
 being in memory of Hooker. 
 
 It was from the initiative of this meeting that 
 came the effort that culminated in the appropria- 
 tion of fifty thousand dollars and the erection of 
 the statue of Hooker, by the Commonwealth, on 
 the grounds adjoining the State House in Boston, 
 in June, 1903. 
 
 The officers elected at Hadley were Captain 
 Isaac P. Gragg, President and General James F. 
 Rusling, Vice President. 
 
 The meeting of 1896 was held in Portland, 
 Maine, on the twenty-fourth of June. The ad- 
 journment to that later date was out of deference 
 to the eastern climate. Of this meeting it can 
 truthfully be said, not alone that no other was more 
 enjoyable, but that the business end of it was 
 longer than any on record. This is accounted for 
 by the fact that a thorough revision of the con- 
 stitution and by-laws had been made in the year 
 
 [ 67 1 
 
and every article was taken up and discussed 
 "seriatim". This is the constitution that we have 
 with our present roster, the most complete 
 and satisfactory that has ever been made and 
 which will remain so to the end; the work of 
 Captain Gragg. In addition there was the report 
 of the committee that memorialized the Common- 
 wealth of Massachusetts for the appropriation just 
 spoken of. This report acknowledged the obliga- 
 tions they were under to General Francis A. 
 Walker of the Second Corps, General George A. 
 Andrews, U. S. A. retired, Hon. Charles Carleton 
 Coffin, the well known war correspondent and 
 author. Colonel Henry Stone, formerly of the staff 
 of General Thomas, Colonel Henry S. Russell and 
 ex-Governor Boutwell. 
 
 Letters were read from the Selectmen of Hadley 
 communicating a vote of thanks by the Selectmen 
 for the portrait presented, and the whole financial 
 question consequent upon that meeting was pre- 
 sented and discussed, following the report of the 
 chairman. General Mathews. Without quoting 
 the report fully it will be of interest to note the 
 salient points. The first estimate of the expense 
 of the meeting was twenty-five hundred dollars, 
 but after visiting Hadley and mapping out the 
 campaign it was decided that five thousand dollars 
 were needed. It was proposed to raise this amount 
 as follows: — One thousand from members of the 
 Union; two from the fourteen thousand comrades 
 outside the Union, one from Citizens of Massachu- 
 setts and one from New York. The result was 
 fourteen hundred and fifty from the Union, seven 
 hundred and twenty-five from outsiders, eight hun- 
 
 [ 68 ] 
 
dred and eighty-five from Massachusetts, one hun- 
 dred and seventy from New York, and four hun- 
 dred from other sources. The members of the 
 Union did all that was expected of them and more, 
 the others failed. "We left Hadley (says the 
 report) nearly seventeen hundred dollars to the 
 bad, but on a second and third appeal by circular, 
 to such comrades as we could reach, the deficit 
 has been reduced to five hundred and fifty dollars. " 
 The committee asked to be continued that it 
 might, if possible, secure that deficiency. 
 
 A resolution was presented by Major Plimley 
 which is of sufficient interest to warrant repro- 
 ducing in full: — 
 
 "Whereas, There is a vacancy in the position 
 of Medical Director of the Soldiers' Home of 
 Hampton, Virginia, which belongs most clearly to 
 a soldier and medical officer of the late war, and 
 
 "Whereas, We have one, a member of our 
 association, who is by education, experience in the 
 army and in subsequent life as a physician and 
 surgeon, amply qualified for the position, 
 
 " Resolved, That we present to General Wil- 
 liam J. Sewall, one of the Directors of said home, 
 the name of our honored Secretary, Surgeon 
 Edward Livingston Welling, as well fitted in every 
 way for the place, and urge upon General Sewall 
 the appointment as being not only the wish of the 
 association, but the wish of men both in and out 
 of the Third Army Corps." 
 
 Another resolution voted with enthusiasm was 
 in favor of memorializing the Legislature of Maine 
 
 [ 69 ] 
 
for an appropriation to erect a statue of General 
 Hiram Berry. 
 
 Eleven new members were elected and Colonel 
 Edward Moore was elected President. Bosworth 
 Post kindly gave the use of its hall for the meet- 
 ing. In the afternoon a drive around the shore 
 road and through Cape Elizabeth was taken and 
 at six o'clock the men marched to the wharf, accom- 
 panied by a band to meet the steamer from New 
 York and welcome General Sickles and party. 
 With him were General Tremain, Colonel Foote, 
 Major Conway and Major Lovell Purdy. The 
 General made a happy speech from his carriage 
 before the procession started for the hotel. 
 
 The next day there was an excursion down 
 Casco Bay, a reception by the Mayor at the City 
 Hall, and the dinner in the evening, at the Sea 
 Shore House, Old Orchard Beach, closed the cele- 
 bration. General Miles being in Portland at the 
 time, was a guest at the dinner, as were also Gen- 
 eral Chamberlain and the Hon. T. B. Reed. 
 
 In the year 1897 a rather startling move was 
 made in holding the meeting in Virginia. It is 
 believed that that meeting was the first one held 
 within what had been the lines of the Confederacy 
 since the close of the war, by any body of North- 
 ern soldiers. But while within the limits of Vir- 
 ginia it was upon soil that had not been surren- 
 dered and where we were among friends and com- 
 rades. That place was Old Point Comfort (Fortress 
 Monroe). The choice was made because of the 
 appointment of Colonel Welling to the position for 
 which the meeting of the previous year recom- 
 mended him, perhaps also because he was very ill 
 
 [ 70 ] 
 
and unable to travel, so that all things considered 
 no better choice could have been made. 
 
 The weather was all that could be desired; the 
 Chamberlin was a hotel not only beautifully situ- 
 ated in the center of historic interest, but offering 
 every luxury and ample accommodations. The 
 comrades came by rail and by steamer, in large 
 numbers, and many brought their wives and chil- 
 dren as never before. Among these were General 
 Sickles and his charming daughter, but lately from 
 Spain, General C. H. T. Collis, General Tremain, 
 Colonels Leonard, Lakin, Moore, General Mc- 
 Keever, General and Mrs. Mathews, Major and 
 Mrs. Shreve, Chaplain Twichell and daughter. 
 Captain C. W. Wilson, Surgeon Janvrin, wife and 
 son, and many others quite as well known, but 
 who in the absence of a list of names must remain 
 unmentioned. 
 
 During the two days spent in that pleasant land 
 there were excursions to the battle field of Williams- 
 burg, to Hampton, to the Soldiers' Home where we 
 met Colonel Welling, who was unable to come to the 
 meeting, as well as to the old town of Williams- 
 burg, fascinating in its history, in the buildings 
 about which clings the memory of Washington and 
 so many revered and honored names, in its college 
 and its church. As we recall the occasion it is 
 to wish we might go there once more, although, 
 alas! how changed would be the company! 
 
 At the business meeting Colonel Moore was 
 re-elected President. The Hadley committee made 
 a final report, in which they had to confess their 
 inability to raise the balance of the sum needed. 
 "After spending one hundred and fifty dollars and 
 
 [ 71 ] 
 
making strenuous efforts they have been able to 
 raise only sufficient to pay the expense incurred 
 and reduce the deficit to four hundred and eighty- 
 eight dollars." 
 
 Notice having been given of the intention it was 
 moved that the sum be appropriated out of the 
 Permanent Fund. An amendment was made that 
 as there was but three hundred and fifteen dollars 
 cash in the fund, that sum be substituted for 
 the one asked for. This was accepted. General 
 Collis moved that "A paper be passed among the 
 members present to raise if possible the diff^erence 
 of one hundred and sixty-five dollars." In this 
 manner ninety dollars was secured. How the rest 
 was provided nowhere appears, but the invested 
 permanent fund was not encroached upon. 
 
 Among the deaths of members announced was 
 that of General John C. Robinson, U. S. A. and 
 the following resolutions were offered: — (Extract) 
 "On February eighteenth, 1897, John C. Robinson 
 a member of this association, departed this life at 
 the advanced age of eighty years. Fifty-eight of 
 these had been employed in the service of the 
 country, as an officer of the army. To the Third 
 Corps he brought the advantage of his education 
 at West Point and his experience in the Mexican 
 War, his campaigns against the Indians in Texas 
 in 1853 to 1856, and against the Seminoles in 
 Florida. When assigned as Brigadier General to 
 the command of a Brigade in the Third Corps, 
 he had already earned the gratitude of the nation 
 for the stubborn and inflexible loyalty displayed 
 at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, and his soldierly 
 qualities had been recognized in the discipline and 
 
 [ 72 ] 
 
efficiency of the First Michigan Volunteers, of 
 which he was the Colonel. 
 
 "His career upon the Peninsula and his whole 
 record with the Third Corps, culminating at 
 Fredericksburg on December thirteenth, 1862, has 
 added lustre to our history and contributed largely 
 to our fame. 
 
 "Though he left us because he was promoted 
 to higher command in the First Corps, he always 
 cherished a warm affection for the men who had 
 served with Heintzleman, Hooker and Sickles, and 
 he was always glad to feel that his training with 
 us served him well when called upon to defend 
 Oak Ridge, at Gettysburg, on the first of the three 
 days' memorable fighting, under Reynolds. Not 
 until, in the heat of the battle and the front of it, 
 where he gave a limb to his country, did he retire 
 from a contest to which his whole soul was de- 
 voted. 
 
 "In civil life he became Commander in Chief 
 of the Grand Army of the Republic and President 
 of the Society of the Army of the Potomac, honors 
 meritoriously won by faithful service. 
 
 "We claim the right to mingle our tears with 
 those of his surviving family, whose bereavement 
 is no more keen than our own." 
 
 John Cleveland Robinson graduated from West 
 Point in the class of 1838; was promoted First 
 Lieutenant and Captain by 1850 and Colonel of 
 the First Michigan Infantry in 1861; Brigadier 
 General U. S. V. 1862; Major Second Infantry 
 1862; Colonel Forty-third Infantry 1866; retired 
 Major General 1869; Brevet Lieutenant Colonel 
 1863 for services at Gettysburg; Colonel 1864 for 
 
 [ 73 ] 
 
the Wilderness; Brigadier General 1865 for Spott- 
 sylvania; Major General for services during the 
 war; medal of honor for gallantry at Laurel Hill, 
 Va., May 1864, placing himself at the head of his 
 leading Brigade in a charge upon the works of 
 the enemy, where he was wounded while serving 
 as Brigadier General, commanding Second Divi- 
 sion, Fifth Corps. 
 
 Other deaths announced were those of Lieu- 
 tenant Benjamin S. Calef, of the Second Sharp 
 Shooters and the staff of General Birney, and 
 Lieutenant Daniel F. Brown, Eighty-sixth New 
 York. Seven new members were admitted and as 
 an innovation owing to the illness of the Secre- 
 tary, his daughter, Louise Russell Welling, was 
 elected as Assistant Secretary. 
 
 At the dinner in the evening between sixty and 
 seventy were present. Colonel Frank, command- 
 ing Fortress Monroe, and Mrs. Frank, were among 
 the guests. Invitations were extended to the 
 Governor of Virginia and the Mayor of Norfolk, 
 both of whom declined. The Mayor had, in a 
 letter to Colonel Welling, previously accepted the 
 invitation, but at the last moment declined. Al- 
 though depending upon home talent for the 
 speeches there was no lack of enthusiasm and 
 General CoUis added much to the amusement of 
 the dinner by singing some Irish songs. 
 
 When the comrades left Old Point they scat- 
 tered in many ways, some going up the James to 
 Richmond and on to Fredericksburg and Wash- 
 ington to visit the city towards which their faces 
 had been turned for so many months without see- 
 ing more than the church spires, and the familiar 
 
 [ 74 ] 
 
places, memorable for battles and camps, for 
 much hardship, and many never to be forgotten 
 scenes and pleasures. 
 
 The meeting of 1897 must ever be recalled, so 
 long as memory goes back to such days, as the 
 summit and crown of all our reunions. 
 
 There was no meeting in 1898 but for what 
 reason is not now recalled. The announcement 
 said that as it was considered best to meet at a later 
 date, Gettysburg had been recommended as the 
 place. 
 
 The meeting of 1899 was held at Hotel Man- 
 hattan in New York. General Thomas B. 
 Mathews was elected President and Chaplain 
 Joseph H. Twichell the Vice President. The re- 
 cords are notable for the number of deaths that were 
 reported since the last meeting, two years before. 
 Colonel Moore, President, elected first at Port- 
 land and again at Fortress Monroe, died in January, 
 1899, at his home in Portland. In 1862 he re- 
 ceived a commission as Second Lieutenant of the 
 Seventeenth Maine and was mustered out as Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel of the Regiment in '65. His mili- 
 tary record is the record of the Seventeenth Maine, 
 through all the battles of the Third Corps and the 
 Army of the Potomac. After the war he was 
 elected a member of the Maine Legislature and 
 was active in establishing the Gettysburg Com- 
 mission and securing the erection of monuments 
 to the several regiments that fought there. His 
 address at the dedication of his own is the best 
 history of its service, and may be found in the 
 volume of Maine at Gettysburg, published by the 
 commission. 
 
 [ 75 ] 
 
Another and no less memorable death was that 
 of Colonel Welling, who had served the Union 
 since 1864. He died at his home in Pennington, 
 N. J., whither he had been carried from the Sol- 
 diers' Home, Hampton, in the last days of his ill- 
 ness. The resolutions presented at the meeting, 
 are not found, but his eulogy is the record of the 
 Third Corps Union, that he loved with a devotion 
 passing that of any other comrade. A subscrip- 
 tion was made to erect a monument to his memory 
 and the sum of three hundred and thirty dollars 
 was raised for that purpose. It was an obelisk of 
 Barre granite, seven feet and five inches high, 
 with the name Welling on the face and the Corps 
 Badge at the top. A bronze tablet inserted gave 
 the following record: — "Surgeon of the Third 
 New Jersey Volunteer Regiment, June twenty- 
 fifth, 1 86 1. Surgeon of the Eleventh New Jersey 
 Volunteer Regiment, July nineteenth, 1862. Sur- 
 geon in charge of Third Corps Hospitals, after the 
 battle of Fredericksburg, Va. Secretary of the 
 Third Army Corps Union for thirty-three years. 
 Surgeon in chief of the National Guard, State of 
 New Jersey. Medical Director of the National 
 Soldiers' Home, Hampton, Virginia." A smaller 
 tablet bore the legend, "Erected by the members 
 of the Third Army Corps Union, 1900." 
 
 Another loss was that of General Albert Ord- 
 way, who while not an active member of the Union 
 was well known to most of the comrades and had 
 actively worked to make our meetings in Washing- 
 ton successful. General Ordway was born in Bos- 
 ton and when the war came was commissioned as 
 First Lieutenant of the Twenty-fourth Massachu- 
 
 [ 76 ] 
 
setts Regiment. He was Adjutant General on the 
 staff of General Henry Prince, when in command 
 of the Second Division of the Third Corps. He 
 returned to his regiment after the Mine Run 
 campaign and was attached to the staff of General 
 Alfred Terry, commanding the Tenth Corps. He 
 was elected Colonel of his regiment when but 
 twenty-one years of age and was in command at 
 Bermuda Hundred in 1864. After the war he 
 commanded the Militia of the District of Colum- 
 bia. He was buried with military honors in the 
 Arlington Cemetery. 
 
 Yet another was General De Trobriand who al- 
 though not well known at any of the meetings after 
 the war, will be remembered as prominent in the 
 early history of the Union and one of the few 
 general officers of the Corps who were with its 
 remnants at the close of the conflict. At the 
 great review in Washington he commanded a 
 brigade of the Division commanded by General 
 Mott, that is thus eulogized by General Francis 
 A. Walker. 
 
 "And now, under Gershom Mott, advances the 
 last division of the great infantry column, made 
 up of the survivors of the magnificent divisions 
 of Kearny and Hooker. Its three brigades, under 
 De Trobriand, Pierce and McAllister, tried in the 
 fire of more than thirty battles, comprise a wealth 
 of courage and discipline never surpassed in the 
 history of the war. These are the men of Wil- 
 liamsburg and Seven Pines, of Glendale and Bris- 
 tow Station, of Manassas and Chantilly, of Chan- 
 cellorsville and the Peach Orchard, of Gettysburg; 
 who on the opening of the campaign of sixty-four, 
 
 [ 77 1 
 
leaving their old associations with passionate 
 regret, carried into their new relation the same 
 devoted loyalty, the same fiery yet steadfast 
 courage, which had made the name of the Third 
 Corps the synonym of soldierly virtue." 
 
 Count Phillippe Regis De Trobriand came to 
 America in 1841. He was editing the Revue de 
 Nouveau Monde and the Courier des Etats Unis in 
 1 86 1. He was made Colonel of the fifty-fifth 
 New York in 1861; and the following year trans- 
 ferred to the Thirty-eighth and mustered out in 
 November of 1863. Brigadier General in 1864, 
 Brevet Major General in 1865 for highly meritori- 
 ous services in the last campaign, terminating 
 with the surrender of the insurgent army under 
 General Lee, Colonel of the Thirty-first Infan- 
 try in 1866; of the Thirteenth in 1869, retired 
 May 1879. H^s book, " Four Years with the Army 
 of the Potomac," written in French and published 
 in Paris, is most interesting but seldom referred 
 to as an authority by later writers. 
 
 As this meeting adjourned it was with the 
 expectation that the Hooker monument, in Boston 
 would be ready to dedicate in 1901, and Captain 
 Gragg was assigned to bring all the influence 
 possible on the committee in charge, to have the 
 ceremony on the fifth of May. 
 
 In 1900 the meeting was in Gettysburg. It was 
 a large gathering and there were many ladies and 
 gentlemen who were not members of the society. 
 General Hobart Ward and Colonel Walker of the 
 Fourth Maine, the oldest living member of the 
 Union and probably of the Corps, were especially 
 welcomed as strangers at our meetings. General 
 
 [ 78 ] 
 
Collis had but lately finished a house on Seminary 
 Ridge, close to the Confederate line, that he named 
 "Red Patch", where he entertained lavishly dur- 
 ing the two days of the reunion. Both riding and 
 walking parties explored the battlefield, with and 
 without guides, and the utmost enjoyment was 
 expressed by all as the result. The Gettysburg 
 Commission, consisting of General Sickles, Colonel 
 Nicholson, and Major Robin of the Confederate 
 Army, were present and in many places gave talks 
 of their experiences and explained the special 
 features of many localities. 
 
 Chaplain Joseph H. Twichell was chosen Presi- 
 dent and General McKeever, Vice President. 
 Captain William H. Howard was elected Secre- 
 tary. Six new members were admitted and the 
 death of eight was announced. Among them was 
 General George H. Sharpe, who was President of 
 the Union in 1875 and '76. He was a Captain in 
 the Twentieth Militia, Colonel of the One Hun- 
 dred and Twentieth New York in 1862; Brevet 
 Brigadier General in 1864; Major General in 1865. 
 He was for a long period the Assistant Provost 
 Marshall of the Army of the Potomac, on the staff 
 of the General commanding the army. 
 
 Another was General George W. West, Colonel 
 of the Seventeenth Maine. He was brevetted Bri- 
 gadier in December of 1864 for his services in the 
 Wilderness. After the war special Pension Ex- 
 aminer for the District of New York. 
 
 Another, Henry John Madill, Major of the 
 Sixth Pennsylvania Reserves and Colonel of the 
 One hundred and forty-first in 1862; Brevet Briga- 
 dier in 1864 for services before Petersburg and 
 
 [ 79 ] 
 
Major General in 1 865. The names of others were 
 Major Edward T. Rowell of the Second Sharp 
 Shooters; Captain James K. Holmes of the One 
 Hundred and Twentieth New York; Captain 
 William J. Kay of the Seventieth New York and 
 Assistant Surgeons W. S. Lamb of the Eighth and 
 George T. Ribble of the Eleventh New Jersey 
 regiments. 
 
 A resolution was presented by General Tremain 
 expressing appreciation of the work done by the 
 Gettysburg Park Commission and requesting Con- 
 gress to make liberal appropriation for the continu- 
 ance of the work. 
 
 The dinner was served at the Hotel Gettysburg, 
 at which General Mathews presided. While it 
 left much to be desired the enthusiasm made 
 amends for other deficiencies and the speeches 
 of Generals Sickles, Ward, Collis and others and 
 a poem by the daughter of Captain Foote, were 
 a most satisfactory ending of the reunion. 
 
 In 1901 the meeting was in Hartford, Con- 
 necticut. General Tremain was elected President 
 and General McKeever, Vice President. The 
 report of the Committee on the monument to 
 Colonel Welling showed a deficit of one hundred 
 and seventy-two dollars, and asked that it be pro- 
 vided for from the funds of the society. The 
 attempt to pay the sum from the Permanent Fund 
 failed of approval and it was provided for out of 
 the Contingent Fund with the aid of a few addi- 
 tional subscriptions. 
 
 Three new members were elected and the death 
 of three announced. 
 
 General Joseph Hooker Wood, who joined the 
 
 [ 80 1 
 
Union at Hadley, was a private in the Second U. S. 
 Cavalry in 1863, promoted to Second Lieutenant 
 of the Sixth and made Major of the Fifteenth New 
 York in 1863. In 1865 he was Lieutenant Colonel 
 of the Second New York Mounted Rifles and in 
 1864 First Lieutenant of the Sixth U. S. Cavalry. 
 He was brevetted for gallantry at Gettysburg and 
 in the campaigns against the Sioux Indians. 
 
 General John Ramsey was Captain of the Fifth 
 New Jersey in 1861, Major in the following year 
 and Colonel of the Eighth New Jersey in 1863. 
 Brevetted Brigadier and Major General in sixty- 
 four and five. Surgeon Robert V. K. Montfort 
 was of the One Hundred and twenty-fourth New 
 York and after the war a conspicuous citizen of 
 Newburg, where he served as Superintendent of 
 the Public Schools for thirty years. 
 
 The dinner at the Allyn House was most en- 
 joyable. The guests were Generals Hawley, 
 Dwight, Greene, and Admiral Bunce. A quartette 
 of the Yale Glee Club enlivened the occasion, in 
 addition to the orchestra. 
 
 On the following day those who remained were 
 taken, by invitation of Colonel Albert Pope, in 
 automobiles to his factory and shown over the 
 premises by his son. One feature of the occasion 
 was the turning out of the fire brigade by giving 
 an unexpected alarm. On the return trip a stop 
 was made at the State House where we were re- 
 ceived by the Governor and introduced by Gen- 
 eral Sickles. Possibly this was the first time manv 
 of us had ridden in automobiles, certainly the first 
 when they had been offered to us as a body. 
 
 In 1902 the meeting was in New York. Gen- 
 
 [ 81 1 
 
eral Tremain was re-elected and General O'Beirne 
 was elected Vice President. The deaths of Gen- 
 eral Chauncey McKeever, General William J. Sew- 
 all, General Butterfield and Colonel John Leonard, 
 were announced. 
 
 General McKeever had been one of the Vice- 
 Presidents and a frequenter of the meetings. He 
 graduated from West Point in 1845 ^^^ ^^^ 
 reached the rank of First Lieutenant of Artillery 
 in 1 86 1 when he was appointed Captain and A. A. 
 G. He was promoted through the several grades, 
 remaining an Adjutant General and serving not- 
 ably with General McDowell. He was brevetted 
 Colonel and Brigadier and after the war was at 
 the War Department in Washington, retiring in 
 
 William Joyce Sewall was Captain of the Fifth 
 New Jersey in 1861 and subsequently Lieutenant 
 Colonel and Colonel, resigning to become Colonel 
 of the Thirty-eighth in 1864. He was brevetted 
 Brigadier and Major General and received the 
 medal of honor for his services at Chancellorsville. 
 
 Colonel Leonard was a private in the Regular 
 Army in 1861 and became a Captain in the Seventy- 
 second New York and filled the grades to Lieuten- 
 ant Colonel in 1863. He was Captain in the Vet- 
 eran Reserve Corps and Lieutenant in the Forty- 
 third U. S. Infantry, receiving brevets for Fred- 
 ericksburg and Gettysburg. He was retired in 
 1870. He was a native of Ireland. 
 
 Other deaths were Major Chesney Manning, 
 U. S. A. who had been Sergeant Major of the First 
 Massachusetts; Philip A. Woodfin, Governor of 
 the Soldiers' Home at Hampton, who became a 
 
 [ 82 ] 
 
member at our meeting at Fortress Monroe; Cap- 
 tain David M. Watt; Surgeon G. D. O'Farrell; 
 Major Charles C. Jones and Lieutenant James H. 
 Lockwood. 
 
 The account of the Treasurer showed a deficit 
 and the propriety of using the Permanent Fund 
 again came up for discussion. It being preferred 
 to a committee for consideration, it reported: 
 "That no purpose to which it could be devoted 
 would give more satisfaction than its use in de- 
 fraying the expenses of the annual meetings." 
 
 The meeting of 1903 was held in Boston on 
 the twenty-sixth of June. If there was a meeting 
 of the Directors on the fifth of May it was not 
 recorded. Elaborate preparations were made by 
 the local committee but the Corps meeting and 
 dinner were swallowed up by the presence of the 
 Army of the Potomac Society. 
 
 There was a misunderstanding as to the busi- 
 ness meeting, many of the comrades expecting it 
 would be held in Faneuil Hall, but the Secretary 
 and several of the Directors met at the Bellevue, 
 the headquarters of the Corps, and in the absence 
 of both President and Vice, were called to order 
 by Major Shreve, who presided. General Tre- 
 main was re-elected and Mr.W. E.Cloudmanmade 
 Vice President, the first enlisted man to hold the 
 position. 
 
 The Secretary announced the deaths of General 
 Collis, Captain W. P. Drury and Colonel Stoughton. 
 General Charles H. T. Collis was born in Ireland. 
 From the captaincy of an independent company 
 of Zouaves, in 1861, he became Colonel of the One 
 hundred and fourteenth Pennsylvania in 1862, 
 
 [ s;3 ] 
 
Brevet Brigadier General in 1864 and Major 
 General in 1865. He was awarded the medal of 
 honor for gallantry at Fredericksburg. His regi- 
 ment is remembered principally because it was 
 uniformed as Zouaves and detailed at the head- 
 quarters of General Birney at Sulphur Springs in 
 1863, and afterwards at those of General Meade. 
 It had a band and that attracted many by its con- 
 certs and dress parades. It saw some fighting 
 later around Petersburg and had established its 
 reputation at Gettysburg, Fredericksburg and 
 Chancellorsville. In civil life General CoUis was 
 Solicitor of Philadelphia, and for fifteen years 
 director of that city's trusts. He removed later 
 to New York where he became Commissioner of 
 Public Works under Mayor Strong. His burial 
 was, at his own request, at Gettysburg. 
 
 Colonel Homer R. Stoughton was Lieutenant 
 Colonel of the Second Sharp Shooters, having 
 raised a company, of which he was Captain, in 
 Vermont, and afterwards promoted Major and 
 Lieutenant Colonel, and would have been a full 
 Colonel had the regiment not been reduced to 
 such numbers as to prevent muster. His defence 
 of our left, in skirmishing in front of Round Top 
 at Gettysburg, was considered of great value and 
 later drew the praise of Colonel W. C. Gates of 
 the Fifteenth Alabama, who confronted him. He 
 was twice a prisoner of war. After the war he 
 returned for a time to his old occupation of rail- 
 roading with the Central Vermont, living in 
 Randolph, where he was postmaster. In 1886 he 
 was Vice President and General Manager of the 
 Shelby Iron Company in Alabama, and in 1892 
 
 [ 84 ] 
 
went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he was in the 
 real estate business. He was known as an active 
 worker in the Sunday Schools wherever he lived. 
 
 William P. Drury was Lieutenant in the First 
 Massachusetts and Captain in the Sixty-tirst. 
 After the war he was lor fifteen years the Chief 
 of Police in Chelsea, Mass. 
 
 Among those who attended this meeting was 
 Colonel George E. Randolph, a member of the 
 first Board of Directors. No one recognized him 
 until he introduced himself. Since the war he had 
 lived in Denver, which will account for this. The 
 Union selected him to represent the Third Corps 
 in the Potomac Society, as its Vice President. 
 
 After the business meeting we adjourned to 
 Faneuil Hall, where the Potomac Society was in 
 session, and after its adjournment a sail down 
 the harbor was arranged, for those who cared for 
 the water, and stops were made at several of the 
 Islands and forts, in the evening the dinner was 
 served at the Somerset, and although the largest 
 room to be had, it was so crowded that many 
 could not obtain admittance. 
 
 The following day was devoted to the exercises 
 of the Hooker monument. It is enough to say 
 that it was a distinguished success, in every way, 
 and honored by the presence of many distin- 
 guished soldiers and civilians. The veteran divi- 
 sion was led by our comrade Captain William A. 
 Smith and the body of Hooker men by another. 
 Major Henry. A full account of the celebration 
 was published by the Commonwealth. 
 
 It is well to allude here to one regrettable inci- 
 dent that was a sequel to the occasion in the fol- 
 
 [ 85 1 
 
lowing year, an incident that was magnified 
 beyond all propriety. The monument committee 
 composed largely of Third Corps men, had secured 
 the placing of a bronze tablet on the monument, 
 reciting the record of General Hooker. At one of 
 the meetings, when the wording that was to pre- 
 cede the record was being considered, a gentleman 
 who was not a member but who had been asked 
 by its chairman to represent him upon that occa- 
 sion, proposed a certain form that caused some 
 friction and the Third Corps men withdrew and 
 the stranger carried the day. After the dedication 
 some critic found fault with the stops and dashes, as 
 well as to the implied statement that Hooker ever 
 was of the Third Corps himself. This some of the 
 men seized upon as an excuse for having the 
 tablet removed, utterly ignoring the fact that by 
 such action they destroyed all visible connection 
 of the Corps with the monument and deprived it 
 of the glory of having been instrumental in its 
 erection. 
 
 In 1904 the meeting was at the Manhattan, as 
 have been all of them since. This was the forti- 
 eth annual meeting. Reverend James Boyle was 
 chosen President and Captain H. P. Ramsdell, 
 Vice President. The President had been second 
 Lieutenant of the Thirty-seventh New York, 
 entering the church after the war. The deaths 
 of the year were General Hobart Ward, Major 
 George W. Cooney, Sidney L. Wilson, George B. 
 White. 
 
 John Henry Hobart Ward was a non-commis- 
 sioned officer in the Seventh Infantry in the Mexi- 
 can War. He was Colonel of the Thirty-eighth 
 
 f 86 1 
 
New York in 1861, and Brigadier General in 1862. 
 His entire service was with the Third Corps and he 
 was perhaps the best known officer in the division. 
 After the fight at Spottsylvania he was mustered 
 out because of conduct attributed to him at the 
 Wilderness, on the fifth of May. No braver sol- 
 dier ever drew sword. He held the office after the 
 war of Clerk in the Superior Court. His death 
 was the result of a railroad accident. 
 
 Major George W. Cooney was the commissary 
 on the staff of General Ward. In 1861 he was 
 a captain in the Thirty-eighth New York and 
 Regimental Quartermaster. He was appointed a 
 commissary of subsistence in 1862 and resigned in 
 May, 1865. Those who remember him will pic- 
 ture a more than usually handsome, dashing offi- 
 cer, with a fine voice that whiled away many a 
 lonely hour. 
 
 At the meeting in 1905, Sergeant Major Wil- 
 liam H. Cloudman was elected President and Cap- 
 tain C. W. Wilson, Vice-President. The deaths 
 during this year were General Joseph Dickinson, 
 Colonel Elijah Walker, Major John B. Fassitt, and 
 Captain Bernard J. Reid. 
 
 General Dickinson was First Lieutenant and 
 Adjutant of the Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania in 
 1861 and appointed a captain and A. A. G. the 
 same year. He was promoted through the several 
 grades to Brigadier General, and was as many 
 times brevetted for his services at Williamsburg, 
 Antietam, and Gettysburg. He is best known for 
 his association with General Hooker. 
 
 Colonel Walker was, as has before been said, 
 the oldest man living, at the time of his death, 
 
 f 87 1 
 
of any in the Corps. His age was eighty-seven 
 years. He raised a company for the Fourth Maine 
 Regiment in 1861 and was promoted through all 
 the grades to Colonel, in July, 1864, ^^id was mus- 
 tered out with the regiment. He claimed to have 
 been present with his command in every battle and 
 skirmish except that of Wapping Heights. He was 
 four times wounded, but absent only on that 
 account ninety-six days after Gettysburg. He had 
 two horses shot under him and as many more 
 wounded. This was the regiment originally com- 
 manded by Hiram G. Berry and when it was 
 mustered out the colonel, chaplain and one cap- 
 tain (who was a prisoner) were the only repre- 
 sentatives of the original officers. Colonel Walker 
 commanded the brigade on many occasions, not- 
 ably at Gettysburg, being stationed in the Devil's 
 Den, but he was not recognized by brevet for 
 services, as were many who deserved less. He was 
 a builder and carpenter before the war and after 
 the war was over he settled in Somerville, Mass. 
 and resumed his trade. He was a member of the 
 Common Council in that town, and Inspector of 
 Buildings for some years. 
 
 James Barclay Fassitt was one of the staunch 
 supporters of the Corps Union, at one time its 
 President, many times on the Board, always the 
 member of some committee and has left with us 
 the memory of a most genial comrade and friend. 
 He originally enlisted as private in the Twenty- 
 third Pennsylvania, General Birney's regiment, 
 whose staff he joined with the rank of A. A. D. C. 
 At the opening of the Grant campaign he returned 
 to his regiment and did not participate in that 
 
movement. As before told, he was given a medal 
 of honor many years after the war. 
 
 President Boyle in retiring presented the society 
 with a silk headquarters flag, with the names of 
 the Corps battles thereon and three division flags, 
 all enclosed in an oak case. They were accepted 
 with as much surprise as pleasure, and many ex- 
 pressions of gratitude, as well as a series of reso- 
 lutions, and have graced our dinners every year 
 since. 
 
 At the dinner, at which there were about one 
 hundred. General Tremain entertained many 
 members of his old regiment and presented every 
 one with a copy of his new book, "Two Days of 
 War." Colonel John McCook was among the 
 after dinner speakers. 
 
 The meeting of 1906 was called to order by 
 President Cloudman who came from the far west, 
 as has been his habit for years, to attend the 
 gathering. General Sickles was elected President 
 once more and Captain Wilson re-elected. The 
 deaths announced were Colonel McMichael, Cap- 
 tains Tutein, Butler and Vance. 
 
 Clayton McMichael, the son of the well-known 
 Morton McMichael, was appointed to the regular 
 army and ordered to the staff of General Birney in 
 1863, It was the expectation that he would be 
 appointed the mustering officer of the division, as 
 at the time only regular officers were eligible to 
 the position, but before he arrived from the west 
 the rule was modified and a volunteer rattled 
 round in the office. He was one of the four staff 
 officers who started with Birney in May, 1864, 
 and arrived at Petersburg in June. For much of 
 
 [ 89 1 
 
the time he served as A. A. G. but soon after 
 reaching Petersburg he was compelled to leave 
 because of sickness and although he returned and 
 w^as with General Birney when he went to the 
 command of the Tenth Corps, he did not return 
 after Birney's death. He was on detached service 
 as recruiting officer and resigned in September, 
 1865. In civil life in Philadelphia he was a promi- 
 nent figure, as his father had been before him. He 
 assumed the editorship of the North American, 
 was Marshall of the District of Columbia under 
 Arthur, Post Master and City Treasurer of Phila- 
 delphia and appointed by General Grant one of 
 the commissioners to the International Exposition 
 at Vienna in 1875. He was ever active in city, 
 state and national politics, and had the acquain- 
 tance of all the noted men of the day. 
 
 The meeting of 1907 was presided over by Vice 
 President Wilson in the absence of General Sickles. 
 Captain Wilson was elected President and Captain 
 Charles W. Buchanan, Vice President. The death 
 roll was a startling one. 
 
 General J. Watts De Peyster, honorary mem- 
 ber, was well known as the desired historian of 
 the Corps, he having written much of its story 
 in detached pamphlets and magazine articles. A 
 member of innumerable societies his career was 
 embalmed in scores of resolutions and newspapers 
 at home and abroad. 
 
 Colonel Moses B. Lakeman of the Third Maine 
 was Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel and Colo- 
 nel of the Regiment. He served with recognized 
 ability and was one of the soldiers of whom the 
 
 90 
 
Corps need never be ashamed. After the war he 
 was in the customs service until his death. 
 
 The others can only be named, although their 
 records are every way as worthy: — Colonel N. N. 
 Shatswell, First Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, 
 Colonel John N. Coyne, who had been on the 
 Board of Directors and was well remembered for 
 his paper on the Battle of Gettysburg, that was 
 printed by the Union, Captains James Gillen, 
 George S. Follansbee, Lieutenant Samuel Dalton 
 and Sergeant Ellis H. Timm. 
 
 For the meeting of 1908 Captain Wilson made 
 a stirring appeal that undoubtedly brought out 
 some who else had remained away. Lieutenant 
 Charles J. Buchanan was elected President and 
 Major Thomas Bradley, Vice President. Captain 
 Bradley was an old member but had not been an 
 attendant at the meetings of the Union, and had 
 never held office before. 
 
 The following deaths were announced. Gen- 
 eral George W. Mindil was by birth a German. In 
 1861 he was Lieutenant and Captain in the 
 Twenty-third Pennsylvania, transferred to the 
 Sixty-first in 1862. Then Colonel of the Twenty- 
 seventh New Jersey, (said to have been the young- 
 est colonel in the army.) Brevet Brigadier Gen- 
 eral for services during the campaign from Savan- 
 nah to Goldsboro, N. C, Major General for ser- 
 vices in the battles of Chattanooga, Mission Ridge 
 and Mill Creek. Awarded medal of honor for 
 having, in June 1863, volunteered the services of 
 his regiment after the term of its service had ex- 
 pired, and a second medal for services at the battle 
 
 91 
 
of Williamsburg, May fifth, 1862, while serving 
 as aid on the staff of General Kearny. For many 
 years after muster out he held a responsible posi- 
 tion as examiner of diamonds and precious stones 
 in the New York Custom House. 
 
 Major George E. Henry, First Massachusetts 
 and Major of the Veteran Reserve Corps headed 
 the body of Hooker's men in the celebration of 
 unveiling of the monument in Boston. His ser- 
 vice was continuous and there was no battle in 
 which his command took part that he was not 
 conspicuous. He was on the staffs of General 
 Carr and General Mott, A. A. G. to General Dent, 
 commanding the Washington garrison and later 
 at the headquarters of the Freedman's Bureau. 
 The length of his service was over six years and 
 he retired broken in health and suffering from 
 wounds received in action. 
 
 Dr. Armand Duffloo had served on our board 
 and was a constant attendant at the meetings. 
 He had been Surgeon of the Seventieth New York. 
 Both he and General Mindil were at the meeting 
 of 1907. 
 
 Others were Colonel Edward R. Bowen of the 
 One hundred and fourteenth Pennsylvania; Colo- 
 nel Brownell Granger died in Sidney, N. S. where 
 he had lived since retiring. From a captaincy in 
 the Eleventh Massachusetts he was appointed a 
 commissary of subsistence and served on the staff 
 of General Hooker for a time, also in the depart- 
 ment of the Susquehanna. He was brevetted 
 Major. Lieutenant Henry E. Kinsman was Lieu- 
 tenant in the First Sharp Shooters; Lieutenant 
 Richard Cooper in the Seventh New Jersey. 
 
 [ 92 1 
 
One of the guests of the dinner was Hon. John 
 S. Wise, son of the former Governor and General 
 Wise, of Virginia, formerly a Confederate boy 
 soldier, his experiences in the army being given 
 in his book "The End of an Era", most enter- 
 tainingly. He is a most admirable speaker and 
 story teller and quite at home with the blue as 
 the gray. General King read a poem of which 
 the following is a stanza: — 
 
 "Hail to the Chief! Our loving friend, 
 May many years be thine; 
 We toast thee in our heart of hearts 
 And not alone in wine. 
 The land for which you fought and bled. 
 Will cherish aye your name. 
 And write it high among those born 
 To everlasting fame." 
 
 The meeting of 1909 was held on May third. 
 Chaplain William R. Eastman was named for 
 President and Major James H. Everett, Vice 
 President. 
 
 The Secretary announced that there had been 
 nine deaths during the year. William Conway was 
 Lieutenant and Captain of the Seventy-fourth New 
 York, Second Lieutenant of the Sixteenth Infan- 
 try in 1866 and Captain in 1879. ^^ ^^^ ^^^~ 
 vetted for service in the Indian campaign and 
 Spring Creek, Montana, in 1876 and retired in 
 1894. 
 
 Colonel C. C. Rivers of the Eleventh Massa- 
 chusetts saw service from Bull Run to Appomattox, 
 had five commissions signed by Governor Andrew, 
 was wounded at Gettysburg, commanded a brigade 
 
 f 93 1 
 
and was never given the credit of a brevet. In 
 civil life he was in the Boston Custom House. 
 
 Captain Benjamin Murphy had been President 
 of the Union in 1893. He enlisted as private in 
 the Eighth New Jersey and was made first Lieu- 
 tenant. For many years he was Chief of Police of 
 Jersey City. 
 
 Captain William A. Smith was of the First 
 Massachusetts. Later he was with the Fortieth. 
 Was severely wounded at Drury's Bluff. In the 
 Boston celebration he headed the Veteran Division. 
 
 Colonel Charles H. Weygant had been presi- 
 dent in 1890 and at the time of the reunion in 
 Newburg in 1898 was Mayor of that city. As a 
 captain in the regiment known as "The Orange 
 Blossoms" he came into prominence at Gettys- 
 burg, where the colonel and major of the regiment 
 were killed and the lieutenant colonel so severely 
 wounded that he was reported among the dead. 
 He wrote immediately after the war a history of 
 the regiment, the One hundred and twenty-fourth 
 New York, a book from which much of value can 
 be learned of the movement of the Third Corps. 
 Captain Matthew Stewart of the Seventy-third 
 New York attended our meetings many years after 
 he was reported by our roster as having passed on. 
 
 In making up these saddening notices it is 
 nevertheless a matter of regret that there are not 
 more details of the lives of the comrades, espe- 
 cially after the war. It will not be unnoticed that 
 many a name with which some of us are familiar 
 has not been mentioned here, but this is rather from 
 lack of knowledge than an oversight. One name, 
 however, arises to the mind of the compiler of 
 
 f 94 1 
 
these records as worthy to be included even if 
 with an apology. In 1887, there occurred the 
 death of General Thomas Washington Eagan of 
 the Fortieth New York. His connection with this 
 Union was one in name only and yet there was no 
 better known officer in the Corps. He was never 
 present at our meetings and the excesses of his 
 civil life clouded his brilliant record as a soldier, 
 yet out of justice to ourselves we should remember 
 him as a brave and gallant officer, who served 
 through the war, not perhaps to the extent of his 
 ability, but who at a critical moment, when in 
 command of a division, rose to the demands of 
 the occasion with such sagacity that he compelled 
 the plaudits of all his comrades and won for him- 
 self the brevet of Major General on recommenda- 
 tion of General Hancock. 
 
 At the dinner there were among others, Generals 
 John McCook, Horatio King and James R. 
 O'Bierne. Hon. John S. Wise enjoyed himself so 
 much at the previous dinner that he returned with 
 his wife, daughter and her husband. P. Tecumseh 
 Sherman was another who was as much at home 
 with us as was his distinguished father. In all, 
 ladies included, between sixty and seventy sat at 
 the tables and we could but congratulate ourselves 
 on the number we could muster. Before parting, 
 the man we ever miss the most was remembered 
 as follows: — "We, the members of the Third Army 
 Corps Union, at this the forty-fifth reunion, ex- 
 press our regret at the enforced absence of our 
 beloved commander and companion, General 
 Sickles. We send our affectionate greeting and 
 trust he may be with us at the next and many 
 future reunions." r ^^ . 
 
There may be many more meetings of the Union 
 but it is evident that not many years hence it 
 must be a Union only in name. Whatever else 
 may shape the character of these gatherings, it is 
 evident that the social part will come to be the 
 w^hole and that they must take on a more quiet 
 character and lose some of the festive element, 
 as indeed they have already begun to do in the 
 last four or five years. But let us not think that 
 this will be wholly a loss so long as we are able 
 to meet and renew our youth in recalling the days 
 when we "followed the flag". 
 
 96