The last volume of our consolidated reports included the meeting of 1883. To consolidate the reports issued since that date, and to include the report of this meeting, will require two volumes, and action should be taken by the Society directing the work to be done. Very respectfully, CORNELIUS CADLE. Acting Recording Secretary. The Treasurer presented the following report: TREASURER'S REPORT. SOCIETY OF THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, The Society, at the last meeting, made Cincinnati the business headquarters of the Society, and elected me, of the Soldiers' Home, near Sandusky, Treasurer of the Society. Accordingly, I continued my bank account, as Treasurer, with the Third National Bank, of Cincinnati, where it has always been; took, with approval of the President, General Sherman, a box in the safe deposit department of the bank, and put in it the government bonds belonging to the Society and all papers belonging to the Treasurer's office except the account books and memoranda required for current use. I kept one set of keys to the box and handed the duplicate set to General Hickenlooper, with authority to open the box, so that its control would be in Cincinnati. I took to Sandusky only the retained keys, my account books and letter heads. This fund now comprises $12,000 of bonds, and $1,166.82 in money. I submit, herewith, my book of accounts, bank book, and vouchers for payments made. M. F. FORCE, The President:-These reports will take the same course as the other unless there are objections. General Dodge:-Mr. President, I desire to offer the following resolution, which I will read: Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed by the chair to submit proper resolutions upon the death of our President and Commander, General William T. Sherman, for the action of the Society; also to recommend some action by the Society to commemorate his death by a proper testimonial. Colonel How: -I would like to offer a resolution, and move that the last portion of General Dodge's resolution be referred to a committee together with mine. Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed whose duty it shall be to solicit subscriptions from the members of this Society to a fund to be used in the erection of a monument to General W. T. Sherman, and the said committee to have full power to use any funds collected by them, in the erection of such a monument as they may approve, at such locality as they may decide upon, it be ing understood that, if they join with any other organization for the purpose, the connection of this organization with the mem orial shall be shown by a suitable inscription. Resolved, That the Society as a society subscribe the sum of five hundred dollars towards the Sherman monument fund from the bequests made to us by Colonel L. M. Dayton, believing that no disposition of that sum could be more in accord with what would have been the wishes of the donor had he been spared to us. In offering this resolution I may be influenced a little by the fact that I am a native of St. Louis, but it seems to me that that being the home and resting-place of General Sherman, is an appropriate place for any monument that may be erected. Certainly there would be no place where it would be more treasured or more safely guarded. I recognize also that it may be impossible for this organization to raise a fund sufficient to erect this monument and it may be necessary for them to join with some other organization for this purpose. Others may think some other locality is the best place to erect it and I am perfectly willing to leave that with any committee appointed by the Society. As regards the resolution to appropriate any of this fund bequested by Colonel Dayton, I recognize that this Society has generally disapproved of any subscriptions for such purposes, but I think no rule applies where we consider a donation from a bequest made by Dayton in memory of Sherman. General Hickenlooper:-Mr. President, allow me to make a suggestion that both of these resolutions go to a committee. There are parts of each resolution that should be carefully considered, and I would advise that the Society do not at the present time commit itself to either of the resolutions. Allow them to go to a committee and let the committee thoroughly digest them and present their report for the consideration of the Society. I move that both resolutions, as presented, be referred to a committee to be appointed by the chair. The motion prevailed. The President appointed the following as the committee provided for in the last motion: General G. M. Dodge, Colonel James F. How, General M. F. Force, General M. D. Leggett, General G. B. Raum, Colonel D. C. Louden, and on motion General Hickenlooper was added to the committee. Captain Andreas: - Mr. President, I want to read a resolution and have it taken up and considered to-morrow. Whereas, There is now in our treasuary, including premiums on bonds, and the bequest made by Colonel L. M. Dayton, about $20,000. The interest on this fund, together with our yearly dues, amounts to about $750 over our yearly expense. This fund has been accumulated for the purpose of making certain that the Society of the Army of the Tennessee will be able to meet annually so long as enough members survive. As our meetings require a large contribution from our members and citizens in places where we meet, the time has come when it is proper, right and just, that this fund be held for the purposes for which it has been accumulated; therefore, Resolved, That our Treasurer be hereby authorized to pay a sum not exceeding $750 to the local executive committee in the cities where we are to meet, to be used by them as they deem best. The President:-The Society will take notice that that will be a subject for discussion at the meeting to-morrow. General Hickenlooper:- I move that it be laid upon the table and be the first question considered in our business meeting to morrow. The motion prevailed. The President:-I believe we were to have a paper read on the Surgeons of the Army, and it has been requested that Dr. Hartshorn be given leave to print it. Colonel Dawes:--I have the paper in my possession. Dr. Hartshorn is obliged to go away to-day. I move that this paper be handed to the Recording Secretary with instructions to print in the proceedings of the meeting. The motion prevailed. The paper is as follows: MR. PRESIDENT AND COMPANIONS OF THE ARMY OF THE TEN NESSEE: The following letter and detail from our departed commander, General W. T. Sherman, will explain why I have accepted the role I now fill: FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL, NEW YORK, May 14, 1888. SURGEON D. W. HARTSHORN, Cincinnati, Ohio: DEAR DOCTOR:—It is a long time since I have seen you face to face, but I remember you well when you gave, so unselfishly, your time, skill and labor to befriend the poor wounded in our civil war. Now, as President of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, of which, I am pleased to note, you are a surviving member, I ask you to prepare a paper of your personal experiences from the time you resolved to enter the military service till the end, to be read at Toledo, Ohio, September 15th and 16th, 1888. Our war surgeons have sometimes felt that we active Generals did not fully appreciate their patient, unseen, noble work, Now, I invite you earnestly and seriously to help us. This duty you owe to your fellow surgeons, and to us who had other work in mind and on hand, but I am sure no generous mind failed to appreciate your acts. Please answer me promptly. Always your friend, W. T. SHERMAN. At the time of the receipt of the above letter, circumstances existed which prevented my complying with his request, and, being without data to prepare a paper, I replied, asking that he select some one else to perform the duty. Time passed along. At the next meeting of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, we met. The General immediately referred to the subject, and I then promised him that I would accept the detail, if made. It reads as follows: SURGEON D. W. HARTSHORN, Cincinnati, Ohio: No. 75 WEST SEVENTY-FIRST ST. DEAR HARTSHORN:-I have just received the printed report of the last meeting of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, and must now, at this late day, detail you to read a paper on your experiences as a medical officer in the late war, at our next meeting in Chicago. From our last conversation I understood you would accept this detail, and can only advise you to make the paper "personal experiences," and not to discuss the causes and events of the war, of which we have had a surfeit. Simply notify me that you will be on hand and all ready. Truly your friend, W. T. SHERMAN, |
