REAR-ADMIRAL DAVIS AND OTHERS, Committee: NEW YORK, October 14, 1876. GENTLEMEN:- -I have had the honor to receive your invitation to be present at the ceremony of the unveiling of the statue of General McPherson, on the 18th and 19th instant. Unfortunately for my ability to be present, I have engagements for the evening of the 18th instant which will prevent my meeting with the others in paying a deserved tribute to a gallant and able soldier. Please accept my thanks for your courtesy. Very respectfully yours, JOHN NEWTON, Brevet Major-General U. S. A., Lieutenant-Colonel Engineers. 1725 H. STREET, N. W. WASHINGTON, D. C., October 18, 1876. To the Committee on Invitations Society Army of the Tennessee: } I regret that an attack of intermittent fever confined me to my room yesterday and to-day, and that it prevents my having the pleasure of attending the meeting of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, and the unveiling of the statue to McPherson. I have seen the horse frequently, the General being covered when I visited it. It appears to me to be an admirable statue, one which will be a worthy memento of a distinguished soldier and patriot and an ornament to the capital of his country. I congratulate the committee upon their success and remain, most respectfully, Yours truly, M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster-General. ROCKLAND, ME., October 9, 1876. ADMIRAL C. H. DAVIS, U. S. N. AND OTHERS, Gentlemen of the Committee of the Society of Army of Tennessee: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your kind invitation to be present at the unveiling of the statue of General McPherson; I regret that my business engagements will not allow me to say, definitely, that I will be present on the occasion referred to, but should I find myself at liberty, I shall gladly avail myself of the opportunity to join with you in honoring the name and memory of one of the best and noblest of those who gave their lives for their country during the late civil war. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, DAVIS TILLSON. BINGHAMPTON, N. Y., October 13, 1876. DR. J. M. WOODWORTH: DEAR SIR:-I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of an invitation to participate in the tenth annual reunion of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee. It would afford me the greatest pleasure to meet my comrades on that interesting occasion, but at the present time I fear I shall be unable to do so. With thanks for your courtesy, Very truly yours, JNO. C. ROBINSON, Major-General, U. S. A. FORTY-FIRST AND LANGLEY STREETS, THOMAS M. VINCENT AND OTHERS, Committee of the Army of the Tennessee, Washington, D. C.: GENTLEMEN:-As one of the oldest members of the Army of the Tennessee it would have given me great pleasure to meet the officers at Washington, at this reunion, and on an occasion so interesting as that which especially calls the Society to the seat of Government; but as my advanced years-—approaching 70-and with infirmities of health, I have to deny myself the gratification. I would wish, with others, to take official leave of the President, who, as commander of the Army of the Tennessee, first gave inspiration to that command-an inspiration that carried them thenceforth, under him and under Sherman, through their great career of honor and glory, never defeated, never retreating, never giving up an attack once, until success came. It is a strange history, that no fortification of the enemy was ever attacked and not in the end conquered; no attack of the enemy on that of the Union army was ever successful. As commander and as President, General Grant's career has reflected honor on the armies he commanded and their officers under him, and in bidding farewell there is a general desire to say also, "well done." Generals Grant, Sherman, and others of the West Point graduates, as myself, celebrate the hundredth year of the inception of our Alma Mater; and that, after the hundredth year, one of them has also attained the highest honor in the gift of the Government, and returns, after having rendered the greatest of services, and having in all his career done nothing to which he will look back with regret, nor impaired with the highest of patriotic motives. The meeting is then of especial interest to all those of a fellow-feeling with the President as to West Point, so hallowed in his memory, and which, as time passes, the recollection comes to be dearer and dearer, as it was to those two great heroes, who reflect such lustre on the institution where they started on their grand career of great achievements. Respectfully, CRAFTS J. WRIGHT. WAR DEPARTMENT, INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, Committee on Invitations, etc.: GENTLEMEN:-I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your invitation to participate in the tenth annual reunion, on the 18th and 19th instant, and I regret that sickness in my family will render it necessary for me to be absent from the city at the time specified. Colonel Lyford regrets that absence from the city on the 18th and 19th instant will deprive him of the honor of accepting the invitation of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee to participate in its tenth annual reunion, and to witness the unveiling of the statue of General McPherson. BOSTON, October 5, 1876. General E. D. Townsend regrets that absence from Washington will prevent his having the pleasure of attending the tenth annual reunion of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, on the 18th and 19th instant. ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM, WASHINGTON, D. C., October 13, 1876. To the Committee on Invitations and Correspondence of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee: GENTLEMEN:-I greatly regret that business which can not be postponed compels me to be in Philadelphia next week, so that it will not be in my power to accept your kind invitation to participate in the reunion of the Society. I regret this the more, not only because of the pleasure I should have derived from the exercises, and from the privilege of meeting many old friends among the members of the Society, but because I would fain have shown, by my personal presence, my respect for the memory of the hero whose statue will be unveiled in the presence of so many of the survivors of the army he so gallantly led. But, although it is impossible for me to be with you on that occasion, my thoughts will turn to you at the appointed time, and while I share your sorrow for McPherson's early death, and your admiration for his noble qualities, my aspiration will be, that the heroism of which he is a type, may never be lacking among the officers of the United States Army. Very respectfully, J. J. WOODWARD, } JOHN HOPKINS' UNIVERSITY, (PRESIDENT'S OFFICE,) MY DEAR SIR:—I have just received your kind invitation to the celebration tomorrow, and I regret that the pressure of my duties here is such as to deprive me of the pleasure of being with you. Yours very truly, D. C. GILMAN. DR. WOODWORTH. INDIANAPOLIS, IND., October 14, 1876. COLONEL JOHN M. WoodwoRTH AND OTHERS, Committee: GENTLEMEN:-I have received your kind invitation to attend the tenth reunion of the Army of the Tennessee and the inauguration of the monument of General McPherson, I am sorry to say that I can not do so. We of the Army of the Cumberland seem more nearly akin to you of the Tennessee than to any others in the military service. We shared so many camps, marches and battles in common; aided and encouraged each other so often, that we seem to be one army rather than two. Separated at times, but meeting again for greater efforts, these armies seemed to be twin brothers. The erection of a memorial to General McPherson is a most worthy object. All the men, almost, of these armies knew him personally, and admired his manly qualities. We remember well the fatal day that witnessed his death, and the universal sorrow and gloom that pervaded our armies then before Atlanta. His career as a soldier in that war had then practically closed; he could have fought but one or two battles more. Already his fame was secure. His country will take care of that forever. The monument you erect can not outlast the gratitude of the people for his services. Only when treason has become respectable will the lustre of his name grow dim. Yours truly, JOHN COBURN. WASHINGTON, D. C., October 10, 1876. ADMIRAL C. H. DAVIS, U. S. NAVY, AND OTHERS, Committee Society Army of the Tennessee: GENTLEMEN:-I regret, exceedingly, that absence from the city will prevent my accepting your polite invitation to participate in the tenth annual reunion of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, T. J. HAINES, Brevet Brigadier-General, U. S. A. BALTIMORE, MD., October 14, 1876. To the Committee of Invitations and Correspondence: I regret that I can not accept your invitation to participate in the tenth annual reunion of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, to be held in the city of Washington, on the 18th and 19th of October. pleasure in the reunion, I am, Wishing you all much Yours truly, W. F. CLARKE, Brevet Major-General, U. S. A. NEW YORK CITY, October 16, 1876. To the Committee on Invitations and Correspondence, Society of the Army of the Tennessee, Washington City: GENTLEMEN:-I had the honor to receive, this morning, via Baltimore, your invitation to attend the tenth annual reunion of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, to be held in the city of Washington, on the 18th and 19th instant, and regret my inability to be present and witness the unveiling of the equestrian statue of General McPherson. I am, gentlemen, yours respectfully, R. H. K. WHITELEY, Colonel of Ord., Bvt. Brig.-Gen., U. S. A. NEW YORK, October 17, 1876. TO MESSRS. C. H. DAVIS, U. S. N., AND OTHERS, Committee: GENTLEMEN:-I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your cordial invitation to participate in the tenth annual reunion of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, to be held in Washington, on the 18th and 19th instants, when the equestrian statue of General McPherson will be unveiled with appropriate ceremonies, for which accept my thanks. I particularly. regret my inability to join you on that occasion, one so full of interest to me, but, aside from my general ill health, I have, within the last few days, submitted to a surgical operation, and my condition, in consequence, forbids my leaving the sick room, so far. I am, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. E. LATIMER, U. S. A. HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSOURI, } GENTLEMEN:-I have just received your invitation to be present at the tenth annual reunion of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, on the 19th instant, on the occasion of unveiling the statue of General McPherson. I regret my duties here will not admit of my absence at the time mentioned; otherwise, it would have given me great pleasure to participate in any ceremony that renders homage to the memory of so admirable a soldier and so true a gentleman as McPherson was. Accept my thanks for the invitation, and believe me, with great respect, Very truly yours, R. C. DRUM, Colonel and Assistant Adj't-General, U. S. A. DOCTOR JOHN M. WOODWORTH AND OTHERS, Committee on Invitations. |
