Thirty-Eighth

Annual Reunion

of the

16th Regiment, O. V. I.

Held at

Loudonville, Ohio

September 17th and 18th, 1913

ENOS PIERSON, Secretary

LOUDONVILLE, O., Sept. 17, 1913.

The 38th Annual Reunion of the 16th O. V. I. Regimental Association was held in the Opera House, which was Headquarters during the 17th and 18th. By noon of Wednesday, the 17th, quite a large number of the veterans and their wives had arrived and were quartered at the Uhlman and Sherman Hotels and with private families. The afternoon was spent in greeting one another and in an automobile ride over the town and out on the pike for two and a half miles, which is a splendid piece of macadamized road, making an ideal driveway for automobiles.

Plenty of martial music was on tap, being furnished by the drum corps of the 16th O. V. I., and Pulver's drum corps of Mansfield, O. The old bass drum that was carried through the war by the regiment was brought here for the occasion, as well as the tenor drum, so that the comrades had the pleasure of hearing our old fife and drums, and we could soon see that our old fifer, G. W. Littell, and bass drummer, Thos. B. Linn, had not forgotten how to handle their instruments in the fifty years that have passed since the war. At 7:00 o'clock this evening the veterans and citizens assembled in the Opera House for the camp-fire exercises. The following program was rendered:

The whole was interspersed with vocal selections furnished by a Male Quartette, comprised of Carr Sanborn, Carl Zimmerman, Wayne Norton and Forest Bird, and a sextette including the quartette and Messrs. T. B. Gilbert and P. Bowman sang The Battle Eve. Miss Edith Adams, of Wooster, presided at the piano. The musical numbers were well received. The continued applause obliged them to respond with numerous encores. The stirring scenes of the great conflict were reviewed by the several speakers. The old regimental flags carried through the service were on exhibition. The camp-fire was closed with the benediction by Rev. J. H. Luhlman.

The association assembled in front of the Opera House at 8 o'clock this morning, where Comrade Wolbach took a group picture of the comrades and their wives. After this all entered the auditorium and were called to order by the president, I. K. Donald, who called on Comrade Rev. McCackron for the invocation, after which the regular order of business was taken up. Secretary Enos Pierson made his report of the last reunion, which was held at Barberton. On motion the report was approved. Next was the report of the Treasurer of the receipts and expenditures of the Barberton reunion, as follows:

(additional transcription forthcoming)

LETTERS FROM ABSENT COMRADES.

Granby, Mo., 9-13-'13

Enos Pierson, Esq., Secretary, Wooster, Ohio.

Comrade Pierson:--I have just received the pamphlets of the 26th, 27th, 36th and 37th Reunions of the 16th O. V. I. They are far better than I expected. I did not expect any illustrations in them. They are gotten up in excellent shape and reflect much credit on the one that compiled them. In the organization of the 16th at Camp Tiffin you speak of John (Jack) Leightner; he was a cousin of mine. In the statistics of the regiment you agree with my record. We left Wooster with 965 men. In the scrap at Tazewell, August 6, '62, Co. I had one man killed (Jas. Hoke) and two wounded, John Springer and James H. Morrison. The latter was badly wounded in the shoulder. You speak of Comrade Bahl, of Springfield, Mo. I was on the Federal jury a few years ago at Springfield; had a long talk with Perry. I stayed over night at Wichita with Comrade Williams. When I left Kansas, I visited J. W. Swartz at Van Wert. In 1904 I met Daniel Reitz once at a reunion at Lakeside, Mo. Also met George Kelsey, of Co. E, at Baxter Springs, Kan. In the fall of 1874, I ran across Sergt. Hollinger, of Co. F, in Van Wert, O. He had the pulse artery in wrist cut by a bullet at Chickasaw Bayou near the enemy's lines. I made a rope of my handkerchief and twisted it around the arm above the wound and stopped the flow of blood. I then left him and cut for the rear. I always thought he died on the battlefield. I was greatly surprised on meeting him. He said I saved his life. He was killed a few years later in a runaway. About nine years after the war I met a man who was moving a family to Michigan. He asked me the distance to the next town; he looked at me sharply, and I looked at him. He said I have seen you somewhere. He then asked me whether I was not in the 16th. He said Don't you remember Betsy? He was a fine cook and got that nickname. I remembered him; his name was Ludlow, belonged to Co. F. I made him stop and stay two days and nights. This was in Williams Co. I have met with none of the boys for several years. I will enclose a photo; you can show it to Squad I. I had pictures of DeCourcey, Kershner, and most of the boys of Co. I. I gave them all to Comrade William Grindle. I have a picture of Chickasaw battlefield. I went with a team to Yazoo Landing, and drew it during the Siege of Vicksburg.

A few years after the war I visited my brother (Francis M. Anderson) who was living at Butler, Ind. While there I met Thomas Carr, of the 16th. I was told that Desilvey and John Springer lived a few miles south of town; did not get to see them. Is William France still living? If so give him my regards. I would love to visit Wooster once more. I went to school to J. C. Wilmot, who taught at No. 2 on Bever St. And is Benj. Eason living? I was well acquainted with him.

Now, Comrade Pierson, you can show my photo to the boys at the reunion. It was taken in my everyday suit. Hope you will get it in time for the reunion. With love and best wishes for yourself and all the boys of the 16th Regiment, I remain,

Yours as ever,

Cyrus B. Anderson,

Late of Co. I, 16th O. V. I.

(additional transcription forthcoming)