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BLOOMINGTON, ILLS., Sept. 4, 1888.

I had promised to attend the annual reunion of my old regiment on Friday this week at Decatur, Ills., never for a moment thinking our meeting at Toledo occurred at the same time. Now you know the disappointment I feel to be unable to meet my comrades of the Tennessee, assembled this year in Toledo, where we had our very pleasant meeting in 1873. The best I can do, however, this year is to send my hearty greetings with sincere wishes for the usual good time and the hope of meeting you and all the rest at next year's reunion.

I shall arrange a little banquet on next Thursday evening with Mrs. R. and the little ones at the festive board, where we will be with you in spirit, and drink a glass of wine to the health and happiness of every one of the "Army of the Tennessee."

I suppose that Colonel Dawes, Captain Mattox, General Hickenlooper, Colonel Cadle, General Walcutt, in fact all of the dear ones who usually attend, will enjoy the meeting with you; remember me to them all, please, and express my regrets.

Always yours to command,

CHRISTIAN RIEBSAME.

Cannot you and Mattox and some of the other Cincinnatians extend your vacation and come to Bloomington? The latchstring hangs out. I hope you will not allow Uncle Billy to refuse the Presidency of our Society; I want to see him remain in harness during his precious life. CHRIS.

WAR DEPARTMENT, MEDICAL PURVEYING Depot,
SAN FRANCISCO, August 29, 1888.

Enclosed please find check in your favor for five dollars, which amount you will please apply in liquidation of my annual dues to the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, as I am in arrears either three or four years. Please acknowledge same and oblige,

Yours very truly,

B. J. D. IRWIN.

NEW ORLEANS, August 24, 1888.

I came here from the country fully determined to join you at the reunion at Toledo, but the recent big storm on this coast and in this city so disarranged and confused all business that it is now impossible for me to leave, so please represent me by enjoying every thing doubly, and extend to old friends and comrades for me my warmest wishes for their health, happiness and prosperity. Yours,

ED. JONAS.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., August 29, 1888.

I envy those who can say, "I never miss a meeting of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee." It is not so with me. Much as I desired to attend this meeting, I cannot. I feel proud of my membership and grateful

for your courteous invitation. I extend my greeting to the old comrades, trusting the meeting may be a repetition of former ones, a joyous and happy re-union.

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EDWARDSVILLE, ILL., September 4, 1888.

Until the last moment I expected to be with you on the 5th and 6th, but being placed in command of a meeting of veterans here which meet on the same date, I feel that my duty is here. You will remember me as commander of the picket line about Memphis, Tenn., in the Summer of 1863, when we had some jolly times. Give my kindest regards to General Sherman and all members of the Society, and my regrets for my enforced absence. With a soldier's love, I am yours, with respect,

THOMAS J. NEWSHAM.

MADISON, Wis., September 3, 1888.

Enclosed please find draft on New York for $8.00, which, I believe, is the sum I owe for dues to the Society.

I feel much disappointed that I cannot be with you, but life is full of such disappointments.

Hoping you will have as good a time as when we last met at Toledo,

Very truly yours,

CHAS. G. MAYERS.

SEABRIGHT, N. J., August 30, 1888.

I regret more than I can express that my engagements are such as to prevent me from attending the twenty-first annual reunion of the Army of the Tennessee, to be held in your magnificent city of Toledo, on the 5th and 6th of September of this year.

How tempus does fugit. A new generation walks our streets, sits in our school-room, and turns the leaves of history to learn about the great struggle out of which the Nation had its new birth of freedom. The ranks of the old army begin to thin out rapidly, and in the not distant future the last survivor of the Army of the Tennessee will pitch his tent on the camping ground Eternal. God grant that we may all be found, at the final roll call, in the ranks of those who shall forever abide in "that better country, that is a heavenly!" God bless our old chief, General Sherman, and spare him for many a reunion with us before he, too, shall join the silent majority — he the last of the great trio who led us to victory! God bless you, every one! Amen.

Faithfully yours,

CLINTON B. FISK.

BIBLE HOUSE,

CONSTANTINOPLE, TURKEY, August 16, 1888.

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Your notification of the meeting of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, at Toledo, is at hand. I regret that, even by making a forced march, I could hardly be on hand in time. Unavoidable distance prevents my attendance; but I wish, by this note, to testify to the pleasure of memory and imagination which an invitation to the meetings of the Society always excites within me, and also to the unfailing delight afforded by the perusal of the annual reports, so rich in history and in reminiscence.

It has not fallen to my lot to attend any meeting of the Society since those first meetings in the Senate Chamber at Raleigh; and of the members of the Society, during the twenty years of my residence in this city, I have seen but three, namely, General Grant, General Sherman and, more recently, General O. O. Howard. But let it be it known that there is an outpost of the Army of the Tennessee over here, where any straying member of the Society may be assured of a hearty welcome.

May the meeting at Toledo be as successful and as full of pleasure and profit as ever.

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I am almost vexed at the ill-luck which yearly prevents my meeting with our Society. Years ago we fixed the time of annual reunion of my old regiment on the second Wednesday of September (the anniversary of our going into enlistment camp in 1861), and our Society has occurred at the same time. Last year our time of meeting was changed, at my request, to the first Wednesday, and, by provoking coincidence, the date of our Society meeting had to be changed, and again falls upon same date. I cannot leave the "boys," and so can only send on regrets, more earnest and sincere than you can imagine.

Very truly yours,

JOHN S. WILCOX.

SAN DIEGO, CAL., August 31, 1888.

Notice of the reunion of our Society, September 5th and 6th, 1888, is received. I am again unable to attend. My beloved wife, who had been ill so long, died May 23, 1888, of cancer of mesentery.

I propose to take her remains east, but it will not be practicable for me to lay over at Toledo. My comrades will pardon me, I am sure. Next year, if

I live so long, I will be with them. I have no doubt that some of my comrades will remember her who dressed their wounds and gave them water on the steamer Hannibal, at Pittsg Landing, on April 6, 1862. Perhaps some will be present who were moved from the battlefield, during the seige of Lexington, Mo., 1861, when wounded, and taken to the hospital, obtained from General Price through her personal application.

Perhaps others may remember their indebtedness to her for saving their baggage on that occasion, when others' was all lost.

In 1861 we were in a slave state. All our Union and Southern neighbors had fled. And when the time came for me to go to the front, she turned the key in the door and joined me, rather than remain inactive at home.

The consciousness that she was near sustained me in the performance of my military duties. She was the daughter of a staunch abolitionist, and was in earnest for every man to serve his country without shirking. None such would ever retain her love or respect. Her younger brother served four years in the Army of the Potomac, and died, soon after the war, from disease contracted in service. Her mother, only surviving relative, at the age of eighty-four, soon followed. Now she has no relatives to mourn her sad fate but her unhappy husband.

Very respectfully, your comrade in arms,

F. C. NICHOLS.

WEST POINT, N. Y., September 1, 1888.

To my great regret I find it will be impossible to be present at our twentyfirst annual reunion on the 5th and 6th insts. at Toledo, important business engagements requiring my presence in New York at that time. But as I have stated to General Sherman, I shall be free next year, and promise myself the pleasure of attending the twenty-second reunion of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee. Believe me with best wishes for the success of the Toledo meeting.

Very faithfully yours,

JAS. GRANT WILSON.

CHESTER, ILLINOIS, August 31, 1888.

I am in receipt of notice and invitation to be present at the twenty-first an nual reunion of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee. Words fail to express my desire to be with you, but a soldiers' reunion at Duquoin and a regimental reunion of the 10th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, of which I have the honor to be President, at Quincy, all coming so near the same time, together with age, poverty, and as Burns would say, the “Damnation of Expenses "precludes the possibility of so doing.

Best wishes to all who went marching through Georgia.

I am, fraternally yours,

R. H. MANN.

GREENFIELD, IND., August 23, 1888.

I am a member of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, but a year or two back those having the matter in charge, had got my post office address wrong in some way. I and wife will probably attend the meeting next month in your city.

Please communicate to me what arrangements about transportation, etc.

Very respectfully,

ADAMS L. OGG.

WASHINGTON, D. C., August 26, 1888.

I had fully expected until recently to be present at the meeting of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee at Toledo But I am a member of "The Assembled Wisdom", otherwise called the American Congress, and my official duties as such will detain me in this city at that time.

Your comrade,

J. LYMAN.

PEORIA, ILLINOIS, September 4, 1888.

At the last moment I am compelled to give up the pleasure I had anticipa ted in meeting with you at Toledo.

I had looked forward to this meeting with great pleasure, knowing you would have a pleasant meeting.

Hoping to be at the next roll call, and with best wishes to all the comrades, I am, yours very truly,

ROBT. M. CAMPBELL.

MILWAUKEE, WIS, August, 18, 1888.

Your cordial invitation to our Society came to hand to-day.

I am obliged to be in New York on September 6th, consequently will not be able to attend.

Trusting that the meeting will be a pleasant one as usual, I am,

Very respectfully,

F. H. MAGDEBURG.

WASHINGTON, D. C., August 21, 1888.

You do not know how much I regret that official duties and pressing engagements will prevent me from meeting with the Society of the Army of the Tennessee on the 5th and 6th proximo.

Commend me to all our comrades, and wish them for me a glorious re

union.

Fraternally yours,

W. S. ROSECRANS.

CHICAGO, ILLS., August 20, 1888.

I regret that I shall not be able to attend the twenty-first annual reunion of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, to be held in Toledo on September 5th and 6th next. I am planning to attend the G. A. R. National Encampment at Columbus and cannot devote time to both occasions. Hoping you may have an enjoyable reunion, and thanking you for the kind invitation, I remain,

Yours truly,

BENJ. F. MONROE. GALESBURG, MICH., August 6, 1888.

I received on the 30th ult. your official notice of the annual meeting of our Society at Toledo, O., September 5th and 6th, and as I had previously accepted an invitation to attend a reunion of the survivors of the old 1st Bat.

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