nieces visited us with
their parents. The then surviving brothers were W. T. Sherman,
Lampson P. Sherman, John Sherman, and Hoyt Sherman, and the surviving
sisters were Mrs. Elizabeth Reese and Mrs. Fanny B. Moulton. The
brothers and sisters who died before this meeting were Charles T.
Sherman, James Sherman, Mrs. McComb, Mrs. Willock and Mrs. Bartley.
All of the family attended with me the reunion of the "Sherman
Brigade," at its camp at Odell's Lake. On the arrival of the train
at the lake we found a great crowd of soldiers and citizens waiting
to meet General Sherman. The brigade had served under his command
from Chattanooga to Atlanta. They received him with great respect
and affection and he was deeply moved by their hearty greetings.
He shook hands with all who could reach him, but the crowd of
visitors was so great that many of them could not do so. The
encampment was located at the west end of the lake, justly celebrated
for the natural beauty of its scenery, and a favorite resort for
picnic excursions from far and near. We arrived at about twelve
o'clock and were at once conducted to a stand in the encampment
grounds, where again the hand-shaking commenced, and continued for
some time. General Sherman and I were called upon for speeches.
He was disinclined to speak, and said he preferred to wander around
the camp but insisted that I should speak. I was introduced by
General Finley, and said:

"Soldiers and Citizens, Ladies and Gentlemen:--I saw in one of your
published statements that I was to make an address on this occasion.
That is not exactly according to the fact. I did not agree to make
a speech. One year ago, when the Sherman Brigade met at Shelby,
I did, according to promise, make a prepared speech, giving the
history of the organization of the 'Sherman Brigade,' and a copy
of that, I understand, was sent to surviving members of that brigade.
But few will care for this, but it may interest the wives or children
of these soldiers.

"Now I do not intend to make a speech, but only a few remarks
preliminary to those that will be made to you by one more worthy
to speak to soldiers than I am.

"I have always understood that at soldiers' reunions the most
agreeable portion of the proceedings is to have the old soldiers
gather around the campfire to tell their stories of the war, to
exchange their recollections of the trying period through which
they passed from 1861 to 1865; to exchange greetin