Soldiers' record, 1869-06-05

              D e v o t e d t o t l i o I n t e r e s t s o f t l i e S o l d i e r s a n d S a l l o i ' s o f t l i e l a t e W a r .
VOL. I. HARTEOllD, OONi^^., SATUKDAY, JUNE 5, 1869. 48
f o i r a at f o m c.
F L O W E R S F O R T U B D E A D .
Flowers for tho valiant di^ad
Who for tho Union bled !
Let nil the summers shed,
Sweets ou our brave !
Let nil tho years renew
Liberty's colors true,
Plant the Rod, White and Bluo
Over each grave 1
Red rose for valor sow—
Lillies for honor strew,
And for the hearts below
Violets bluo.
So shall tlio years to bo
Say to our children tVcc,
Liberty's colors ttiree
Still are for you 1
Lightly let ilowers enfold
Plcilgcs worth more than goUl,
Lay ou. the lowly mould
Lily and rose.
Pledges that freedom's seed
riivntcd at Kiiunymede,
Up out of thorn and weed
Evermoi-c grows!
Oat from these ashes mute,
Freedom's wide branches shoot—
Liberty's lofty fruit
Beckons the slave.
Soon to these altars dumb,
Grandly, at beat of drum,
All the far lands shall come,
Blessing our brave!
Come where tho valiant host
Loving their country most,
In her dread Pentecost,
Yielded their souls!
Conic at the Whitsuntide,
c;;ountry with love and pride,
Every true man who died
Still on the rolls!
So, through tho marching years.
Mustered by rosy biers.
Mingling their manly tears.
Soldiers shall stand:
So o'er each lowly grave,
Freedom's high flag shall wave,
Blessing tlie dead who gave
Life to tlie land !
G E K L O G A N ' S A D D R E S S.
The following address by General Lo-gan,
at the Nationnl Encampment recent-ly
held ill Cincinnati, will be read with
interest by all comrades. It pays a just
tribute to the loyalty and patriotism of
the gallant men who composed our ar-mies:
—
OOMuADES: Within tho past few years
history has been enriched with two events,
so manly in their inception, and so sub-lime
in their results, that they m^iy well
be called the loading facts of the age, a-like
creditable to our nation and mankind.
First, a vast, well-organized army, re-cruited
from a brave juid hardy popula-tion
of twelve million souls, making war
against our Government, well supplied
with all necessary appliances, and enjoy-ing
the aid and sympathy of powerful al-lies,
has been utterly crushed.
Second, the coiKiucrers of this stupend-ous
power have retired to civil life, and
been absorbed in tho great mass that em-bodies
our industrial activities, without
sutfering, without disorder to the com-monwealth,
and without producing a ple-thora
of labor.
Our great war, Comrades, with its in-numerable
scenes and incidents, its trials,
sufferings and triumphs, has been tho
theme of frequent and elaborate song and
story ; but tho sublime trant[uil]ity that
followed the disbandmont of our armies,
remains comparatively a lield untrodden.
Let us but for a moment contemplate the
position of alfairs upon the memorable
month of April, 1865. The rebellion was
ended—a fugitive traitor President was
hiding among the pines of Georgia ; tho
vast hoido6 that withstood our blows
during four years of belligerent action,
were scattered to the winds ; our armies,
embodying more than a million of men
inured to conflict that usually excites and
stimulates the worst passions of our na-tures,
having no more foes to combfit, wiio
could say that they would not repeat the
history of olden times, and wage war a-mong
themselves or upon their friends ?
Under these circumstances the order was
given—"Break up these armies," such
soldiers as have homes must return to
them, and such as have none, must seek
them among their countrymen. In classic
days, both Republican and Imperial Rome
had been shaken to its centre by disband-ed
soldiers, while in Greece and Spain
the mountain fastness had been filled with
desperadoes from such bodies, Avhose sub-sistence
was wrung from passing travel-ers,
or peaceful haciendas. Even our
neighboring Republic of Mexico bad fur-nished
examples of the danger to man-kind
of forcing bodies of soldiers from
their avocation to the quiet scenes of or-dinary
lifo. But neither Rome, Greece,
Spain nor Mexico were ever tried by such
an ordeal as ours, Their disbanded arm-ies
were, in comparison to ours, almost,
as nothing. In fact there is not, in hu-man
history, a case cited except ours, in
which a million of soldiers were, in a day,
removed from belligerent to peaceful life.
Probably there is no Government on earth,
except our own, that would have dared
to try the experiment. I am confident
there is no other in which such trial would
be safe. But all were disbanded. De-partments,
corps, divisions, brigades,
regiments and companies, almost within
the hour, disappeared like morning mists
We had appeared upon the field at our
country's call as promptly as the clanmen
of Roderick Dhu burst into view upon
their Alpine hills, and as soldiers wo pass-ed
away almost as readily at the waving
of a hand. Was there no ambitious lead-er,
dissatisfied with the distribution of
warlike laurels, ready to gather the scat-tered
host, seize the power and archives
of the nation, and make himself a king ?
Were there no fastnesses among our moun-tains
in which brigands might find con-cealment
and carry on a war of depreda-tion
on mankind ? Perhaps there were
such rebellious spirits, but the soldiers
themselves, the mass of thedisbanded host,
were beyond the power of seduction.
They loved the Government for which
they bled, the flag under which they had
marched to victory, and would prefer to
die in defense of liberty rather than live
in opulence upon its ruins. No outbreak,
no.revohition, no disaster of any magni-tu'io
has fcllowed tho segregation of tbeso
million warriors. They sought their
homes with joyful hearts and tuneful
voices. There were no tears of mourning
over the casfc-o IF trappings and habiliments
of strife. The hand grov\^n cunning in the
use of arms applied itself to the ax, the
hammer, the loom and spade. Battle
shout lias given place to exultations ov-er
victory, and these in turn were follow-ed
by the songs of joy, of love and peace
that sanctify that place of IIea.ven called
home. Very much of this sublime result
is due, doubtless, to the form of Govern-ment
under which wo live, much is at-tributed
to the eJucational influences a-mong
which we were reared, and nmch,
very much, to the organization known as
the "Grand Army of tho Republic."
This order originated in a desire for mu-tual
protection, aid and education. AVe
never feared that the toils and suflerings
of our soldiers would be forgotten, or fail
to be appreciated by the mass of our
countrymen ; but wo did fear that high
ollicials might at times be prompted by
their sellishness to disregard or neglect
us- Politically, our object is not to
mingle in the strifes of parties, but by
our strength and numbers to be able to
exact from all a recognition of equal right
with others. We desire further, by this
organiiiation, to commemorate the gallant-ry
and sullerings of our comrades, give
aid to bereaved families, cultivate frater-nal
sympathy among ourselves, find em-ployment
for tho idle, and generally, by
our acts and precepts, to give the world
a practical example of our unselfish, man-ly
co-operation.
Thus far our efforts have proved suc-cessful.
The report of the Adjutant Gen-eral
will present fully the history and pro-gress
of our order, and more than sustain
our brightest hopes of its future. The
burden of many crosses has been lifted
from many hearts. Famishing souls and
bodies have been fed, manly excellence
has been developed and cultivated, while
public, social and domestic life among
our comrades have been purified and
blessed thi-ough our humane endeavors.
I congratulate you, comrades, that we
have now a national Administration
which is not unmindful of the soldier. lie
is filling important places of trust and
profit ; he is welcome at the Presidential
mansion ; along the street a crutch or
empty sleeve insures respect, and in the
public convocation he receives attention
and applause.
I congratulate you also that our order
flourishes now as it never done before,
and that peace, tranquillity and industry
are comparatively universal among our-selves,
and throughout our national do-main.
Let us foster and cherish this benevo-lent
Order, so useful in the past, so bene-ficial
in the present, and giving such
promise for the future. Let us unite in
vigorous efforts, and extend and perpetu-ate
its power. While in the flush and
strength of manhood, we may not fully
grasp and realize the fact that man's
true interest lies in doing good j but
when the golden bowl of life is breaking,
when Our faces become carved in the
storied hieroglyphics by the stylus and
panlagraph of age, each act of kindness
done, each word of kindness spoken, will,
by natural compensating law, return, like
the dove of Ararat, to the soul from which
it was sent, and bearing with itit^? branch-es
of unfading green from the ''Post be-yond
the River."
For The Soldiers' Itecord.
L I E U T E ^ F A N T E D W A R D P A Y S O JF
M A N K I I f G .
26th CONN. VOL-^.
Lieutenant ^Manning was born in Pom-fret,
Windham County, Conn, July 18th
1834. He was the youngest child of
Deacon William II. and Lois P. Manning
His early life was not marked by any ex-traordinary
experiences. The influences
surrounding him wore calculated to de-velope
the manly christian charactor for
which he was noted in after life. His
education, though not collegiate was liu-eral,
and his natural abilities far more
than mediocre. After finishing his studies
his inclination led him to mercantile
pursuits and for about three years he was
associated with his brother, the Hon.
James VV. Manning of Putnam, tho pres-ent
Comptroller of the State. In the
spring of 1859 he came to Norwich, and
became connected with the well known
paper house of A. H. Hubbard & Co.,
where the war found him. His daii.y life
and exemplary deportment, his integrity
and business ability, his fine musical tal-ents
and earnest labor in the Church and
Sunday school, allservcd to make for him
a largo and valuable acquaint;ince in Nor-wich.
By nature Manning was not in-clined
to military pursuits ; nevertheless
from the commencement of the war he was
earnest in its support and contril)Uted to
its progress. He was restless under the
promptings of duty, while so many of his
associates were giving themselves to their
country. His affection for, and duty to
his aged and widowed mother,who clung
to him, her youngest boy, like the ivy to
the rock, inlluenced him to defer his in-listment.
But the pure and patriotic
spirit that animated hiui would not be
husbed to silence, and on the iiUth of Au-g
ist 1862, ho enlisted in a company be-ing
recruited by Jo>5oph, afterwards Col.
Selden of Norwich. He immediately
gave all his influence and time to recruit-ing,
and secured several enlistments from
adjoining towns. The company was rap-idly
filled to tho maximum, and on its or-ganization
Manning was appointed second
sergeant. In the organization of the 26th
Conn. Vols., to which his company was
attached. Manning was appointed com-missary
sergeant. The regiment pro-ceeded
to the Department of the Gulf and
joined the Bank'.s expedition against Port]
Hudson. At various times he was detail-ed
as acting Quarter Master and Adjuta;»t,
all of which positions he filled with honor
to himself and to the satisfaction of the
regiment. On the death of Lieutenant
H. F. Jacobs of Co. F, who was mortally
wounded in the charge upon Port Hudson,
June 14th, 1863, Gov. Buckingham ap-pointed
Manning to fill the vacancy.
Wherever duty called him, he was faith-ful
and cheerful. In all the engagements
in which the 26th participated while he
was Commissary Sergeant, he was con-spicuous
for his bravery in caring for the
wounded and dying upon the field.
Whether on the march or in ca\np,
whether on garrison duty or in the tren-ches,
the Commissarait of the 26th was
well and punctually supplied, which was
conductive to the efficiency of the regi-ment.
After the surrender of Port Hud-son,
the regiment was ordered home, via.
the Mississippi River to be mustered out,
by reason of expiration of terra service.
On his arrival in Norwich, Manning re-ceived
the congratulations of his friends,
on his safe return, and apparently perfect
health.
But he was almost immediately prostra-ted
by malarious fever, which proved fa-tal
to so many who had bravely faced
bayonet and cannon on the bloody plains
of Port Hudson. During his brief illness
he was surrounded by kindest friends,
and the best medical attendance was se-cured.
In his delirum, his mind was with
the 26th in its journeyings, and with his
friends, who could not arrive in time to
bo present when the Master called him
home. Where told that death was rap-idly
approaching, his delirium gave Way
to re ison, and Avith a cheerfulness that
could only spring from christain faith, he
said in loell, all is bright hefure me^ do
all you can to comfort my mother^''
These were his last sane words. He
sank rapidly, and on the morning of the
17th of Aiigust 1803, the veiY day the
regimental muster out papers were dated,
he was summoned to the Army of Heaven,
to answer the roll call in the presence of
the King of Kings. He was deeply la-mented
by all who knew him and those
unused to weep gathered to do the last
honors to tho dead, and shed tears of grief
over the departed. Tho place made vacant
in society. Church and Sunday School,
and in many hearts, is vacant still, and his
fragrant memory will be ever fondly
cherished. Of his character and inner
life, wo will let another speak. The fol-lowing
article appeared shortly after his
death, in a Hartfo'-d paper, and is from
the pen of Rev. 0. W. Tate then residing
in Norwalk, Conn.:
LII5UT. EDWARD P . M A N N I N G . — T ho
worthy name of a youthful christian pa-triot,
is that written above. As young
Manning was a friend of rare excellcnce,
a son and brother beloved, a christian of
pure life and constant devotion, and ono
of the unselfish defenders of our country;
friendship, allection, the ties of the "like
precious faith" and gratitude, unite their
plea,and humbly ask that his name may
live upon the page of a christian journal.
Monday morning, August 17th, just as
the night gloom changed today glory, tho
spirit of the dying young man passetl out
from the darkness of earth toward the
shining shores of immortality, while his
lips uttered tho words, "It is all brij^ht
before me," and his heart, clinging with
all the tenderness of woman's uHection to