the wounded of both armies, he must have said to himself, "If the South succeeds, what then?" After the war, his life as a citizen, in his retirement, was a record of honor and dignity. He uttered no word of bitterness. He was outspoken in his renewed loyalty to the Union. When it could be of no possible personal benefit to him, doubtless as an example to his Southern soldiers, he applied to the Federal government for amnesty. He was a soldier and a citizen, without fear and without reproach. He was worthy of the affection of his people and of an enduring memorial. I do not know the inscription upon it, but whatever it may be the lesson of his life, his opinions, and utterances, will say to history and posterity, in words than can not be mistaken, "My Southern friends, we fought an honorable fight, but we were wrong, we were wrong." In considering so admirable a character, I hesitate to question a motive, or suggest a contrast, yet the comrades of the Army of the Cumberland can never forget that there was a great loyal Virginia soldier-one who loved his native state more wisely and served her better. Need I name him! That name, it springs from the heart; it quickens the very pulse; it rises to the lips. It is dear as the memory of home-GEORGE II. THOMAS-faithful old soldier! "Patient of toil, serene amid alarms, Inflexible in faith, invincible in arms." When his country's fate hung in the balance; when Virginia, betrayed by false friends and evil councils, finally followed her erring sisters of the South, GEORGE H. THOMAS, our own trusted leader, stood erect and steadfast under the mighty folds of that flag-as in the later time he breasted the storms of war upon the crest of Horse Shoe Ridge. What was Virginia without the Union? What were a dozen petty independent, provinces, discordant, feeble, jealous-a prey to home dissension and foreign protection-compared with the matchless dignity and power of the restored republic. Soldiers of the Army of the Cumberland, whatever may have been your faithfulness or achievements in other fields. of duty or honor, down deep in your hearts, you know full well that you can never do any thing else so useful, so memorable, or so honorable, as the part you bore, be it ever so humble, in preventing the dismemberment of the National Union. No money consideration can purchase it, or pay for it, or represent it. "Oh, land of lands! To thee we give Our love, our trust, our service free, For thee thy sons shall nobly live, And at thy need shall die for thee." The years may come and go; they may bring infirmity or adversity, or poverty, but they can not take from us. the consciousness that we had an honorable share in the crowning event of the century. We were soldiers of the Union, in the Army of the Cumberland. No others were more faithful, or won greater renown. I congratulate you upon this Reunion. I congratulate you upon the presence here to-night of one of the loved and trusted commanders of our army, GENERAL WILLIAM S. ROSECRANS, and of others whom it has honored. I thank our friends of the beautiful city of Toledo that it came into their hearts to invite us here. In the name of our Society I thank you for the erection of this splendid memorial to your Union soldiers-a tribute worthy of your love and loyalty. We have not forgotten that this was the home of dear old bluff JIM STEEDMAN and many other gallant comrades. We have not forgotten that of all the loyal states the great State of Ohio most generously sent her sons to our army and sacrificed them freely on the altar of their country. Neither have we forgotten that in the anxious years of conflict, encouraging aid and loving words from loyal hearts at home helped us to final victory. Alabama-WILLIAM H. FORNEY, J. T. HOLTZCLAW, W. C. OATES, JOSEPH WHEELER, and S. M. A. WOOD, Arkansas-JAMES H. BERRY, CLIFTON R. BRECKENRIDGE, EVANDER MCNAIR, and L. H. MANGUM, Colorado-G. G. SYMES, District of Columbia-ABSALOM BAIRD, H. V. BOYNTON, and W. S. ROSECRANS, Florida-WILKINSON CALL, ROBERT H. M. DAVIDSON, AND JESSE J. FINLEY, Georgia-JOSEPH M. BROWN, ALFRED H. COLQUITT, J. B. CUMMINGS, JAMES LONGSTREET, LAFAYETTE MCLAWS, and E. B. TATE, Illinois-S. D. ATKINS, LYMAN BRIDGES, A. C. MCCLURG, E. A. Indiana-JOSEPH B. DODGE, W. Q. GRESHAM, J. J. REYNOLDS, M. S. Kansas-JOHN A. MARTIN, * The charter of the Chickamauga Memorial Association is here given in full, being reprinted by reason of a mistake that occurred in our last report, whereby the last page was omitted. Kentucky-C. D. BAILEY, M. H. COOPER, R. M. KELLY, G. C. Michigan-H. M. DUFFIELD and A. W. WILBER. Mississippi-CHARLES E. HOOKER, J. BRIGHT MORGAN, JACOB M. New York-C. A. DANA and A, G. McCook, North Carolina-WILLIAM R. Cox, DAVID H. HILL, CHARLES W. MCCLAMMEY, AND MATT. W. RANSOM, Ohio-H. M. CIST, W. F. GOODSPEED, CHARLES H. GROSVENOR, P. P. LANE, J. C. MITCHELL, J. G. TAYLOR, AND FERD VAN DERVEER, Pennsylvania-WILLIAM J. PALMER, JOHN TWEEDALE, and JOHN G. VALE, South Carolina-ELLISON COPERS and E. M. LAW, Tennessee-FRANK C. ARMSTRONG, WILLIAM B. BATE, JOHN C. BROWN, S. B. MOE, ADOLPH S. OCHS, LUCIUS E. POLK, ALEX- Texas-C. B. KILGORE, ROGER Q. MILLS, and WILLIAM B. SAYERS, United States Army-J. M. BRANNAN, H. C. CUSHINGS, S. C. KELLOGG, FRANK G. SMITH, and THOMAS J. WOOD, respectfully shows: First-That petitioners and all other persons who may be subscribers, as hereinafter provided, to the funds devoted to the preservation of the battle field of Chickamauga, in the county of Walker and State of Georgia, ex-officio, and the governors, ex-officio, of such other states as had troops engaged in the battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, on the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth of September, 1863, and which may comply with the terms of this charter, and the President |