A Fine Address

At the 27th aJinual reunión and 33d anniversa-ry f the 6th Mich. Inf&ntry, at Kalaniazoo, last week, MaJ. Harrison Soule, of tltis city, the president of the asociation, delivered the following 'addrese : COMRADES,- I give you greeting as we assenible tor our reunión here in this bright, pleasant little city, on this cheerful Bummer day. This is a place aiwl this is a day which is much ito us, the Sixth Michigan Volunteer Imfantry Heary ArtOlery, while we meet and onswer each the other, liow goes the bat t Ie of Ufe. Let us on the threshold of rthis day aad meeting oall a. halt to the things of the presleait, let u sturn back the pages of meniory, and look upon other soenes and eee what picture memory shows us thirty-three years back, August 20, 1801. Wiha do we see ? The murmuringB of unrest have passed BJttd we bave the thunderings of war Jn our ears. War comnides, you well what that me.int. "We see ügaiu the doterinined intern look in every face altmost of sorrow whicli betokcn positivo puipose of action. Gtreat trains of cnrs are thundering o cross the country crowded with men youmg and old. -soanO wearing the so'.dier's uaiiform, many without, a few hearing muekete, mnny nore without, mostly under command and in org-anizatiou and evidently with known destinatkm in view. AVe are a parí of that great picture a.nd it is luit a type of others all over our land. AVe have paeeed the ordeal of orgamization, eoane of us have partaken of the army tent and enjoyed the hospitalibles of tlie quarteraiaster and have run tine guard at old Fort Wayae. Under orders our conipanies are reeruited tvud .having iaid "good bye" to our sweet hearts and loved oues, we are with all npeed hastening under orders for camp at the big villagei - this same Kalamazoo. A.s th" train sweeps around the curve and draws up to tjiis platform Wied with many oí th.e eitlzeas to greet us, for our coming has been heralded far in ladvauce. And the good people are ■inxious ito see the coming natlon's defenderé. Here among the crowd we Qneet our worthy Qunrtermaster Sergeant AVortley (and I hope he is present with us here to-dayi and we anake the acquaiutance of the regimeaital guard who has been detailed to aneet us as escoi-t to our first camp. As we take up our line of march tnrough the streete we are cheered on our way by hundreds of banners, tdie waving of handkerchiefs and kindly words of welcome froui every doorwiay and window eaoh eide of the loug handsoine etreetF, the clieering of düldreia, uil now in middle Ufe- and miay I indulge the hope that niamy are living to remember the ovatkwi that that day extended to us eo mamy years igo. Thus were we weLcoaned to tJie home of the iirst camp of tlie Slxth Michigan Yalunteers. vt'ho of us will fail to remember the fnst view of our reg-tmental home as we approached the big gates of he old fair gTouiid, opened to take us in. AVe fiLe up to tlie left ;uid march. to our first regimental headqu&rtera, how well we remember it, in the old office building of the fair ground laíeoclation. Tliere we recetved our Ürst official document froin the qviartermaster, ivho aesigned us to our mew quarter.-', and escorted by tJie quartenna.ster eergeant we found our home. And while Ave did not at that time fully appreciate our J house, om after times we let our J ory revert back and all would have votedithc vii( sumptuous surroundimgs. Stall in the cattlo shedfi were our quarters, and for one I have always had a warm spot in my memory for those assigned to myself and compaaiy. Wéli I reanembcr sballs M, Ij, N and O feil to our lot a.nd we found tjijem furnishedi- knee deep with nit-e clean wheat títraw-which coustituted Uic. enltire outfit. Of course we occupled, and ou looking around we found our nelghbors in the same situatiou except they were each supplled witli a couple of blankets with which they had been furnished before leaving thcir recruiting station ; we had como empty hamded. Our destitute comdition i-oon became known and au appeal to the good cltizens with ready response was made and thO heartfelt ihanks of Company I went out in loud ciieere of gTatitude as two patriotic citizeais (God blees tten) Dr. Johnson and Mr. G. II. Hale, drove up to our quarters with blankets two tor eaoh man, which had been co'Jected 'by those gentlemen by a 'house to house soïii tion, and tlius was Ctwnpany I ;uk.$red Int o land oaired for by the good people of tliis Kalamazoo. Thereiore, I feel tlnat I caniiot speak too wannly or feel too g-reatíul lor the fostering care showm us here in that early day and on the threshold of our military lifo. "While AlUion was the fatlier oí Company I, Kalamazoo was our mother, and who in all the wanderings throughout life fails to carry a warm lieart for mother. Therefore, we have an especial affection (for our mother, Kalamazoo, and I feel eure tlie entire regiment joins nie in saying "God bless lier citizens, one and aU." COL. CURTENIUR' ADDHK8S, Agnin ie thie city and this day a fitting place and date for our reunión. Here was the home of our llret commanding officer, and here as a regiment we first met him, the genial, courtly gentleman, the typical military officer, our Colonel F. W. Curtenius. Who of us will forget liim ? Let us listen again to hls first address to hls regiment. Camp Fremont, 1 headquarters slxth reo1! m. i Kalamazoo, August 15, 1861.) ADDRESS TO THE REGIMENT. "In aieuming the command of the regiment I nm perfectly aware of the responedbility and the perplexity it involves. The efficiency and the tliO welfare of its future eareer depeaids upon the severest discipline nnd to the strictest obedieince to sueh orders as shall from time to time be 16siiid. To mui of intelligence, as you are. the e&úfié in which yu have onli-ted requires no commendation. ■Your undividtd energies are, by your oatli. requlrsd to be devoted to a proper discharge :of your several dut les. Indeed your uecess and your safety is hiaiged upon your deportmeut as soldiers as muoli as upon your valor. "You have . foe with which to contind equally wllh youvselves SkiUed in ttoe urt of ar ; equally with youisclves iurni.hed with the inot approved anus, and equally with yourselves coaitending for what tliey conceive fo be their sacred right. Your enemies tlxink themselves to be right ; you know tlnem to be wrong. ''Out of difference of opinión uud i - : ; i - 1 1 of interests has sprung a rebe-lliom,, greater tJiaai the woi-ld fails to furnisli ia parallel. Our governmeoit but ia few d:iy. ago acknowledged .to be the best iipon the face of the earth, is in jeopardy, and to-day finds you rushing to its rcscue. WitB a view to mate j'oui'self most available, it is expecteij- indeed it is imperative, tliat you yiekl a clieerful aaid an unhesitating obedience toi such as circumstiinces have placed in commaind over you. ''And liere let me say, while engagod in cultivatiiig the art of war do not forget to cultivate an elevated st-aaidard of morate. The race is wat always to the swift nor the battle to ithe strong. Bear yourselves like men as well as soldiers. You llave no med to be asliamed of tlie oause you have offered yoursell' to defend. Having a good cause you are doubly araied, and the soldier wJio uaider such circumstences can charge upon an enemy truïting in God for the iteue, is invinaille. "He wilio eau dpoa the eve oï battle oommend himself and his cause to God meed have ao fear of results. Aai aany tlieltered by a lofty tone of moráis oan Bever be cruslied. "To give additiomal vulue to your services as soLdiers you are expected to avold imduJigtng in t-ueli habits and ajipetites as t-hall tend to interfere with the laws of health amd the pro2rii'ties oí ie. Intoxication, proïanity and ti recklees disregard of the rights of others will be niet with puntehment. iN'o matter whftt the rank may be an arrest will be sure to follow. A dwnoralized army is but au unifonned mob. I feel assured tluat the mere reference to ■ iliin,s will win your approval and coniidence. 'ít filian be my ceaseless aim, as God knowis it is the desire of my heart, to make tbis a model regiment . - a regiment well drilled and disciplinad, .alK)unding in zeal and courge - and ono wihách, il' fortúnate enough to encounter an eneany, ivill come out oí tlie eonte-t covered with glory and reflecting credit upon the state whicli has eo noblj' and promptly called it int o tlie field. "llay I not induSgo tlie thought, tliat I reitoct the feeaitiments of every eoidier to whoni this manifestó is addressed ? Btrive with. me in making this command sueh an one tliat yeairs henee you can refer to it ayíUl pride, amd iellow citizens, as you pass atang the streets, pointing to you Avill whisper, there goes one who belonged to the Sixth Michigan. F. W. CURTENIIS, Col. 6tli IN'.-. Mkii. Infantry." On tlris 20th day of August in 18C.1 we were mustered ',',:', yeare ago today and ncaily within heai'ing of my Aoice we iormed our first regimental Uno and answered to ooir first roll cali, 'herí' we iudulged in our first detail, tor guard ajnd heard our lirst i egtanent ordered pvomulgated by the adjutant to the line. Our beloved colonel long passed the mei i:lian o.' life, soon found the inclememclee oí the service too lvard to bear and early feit obligcd to lay down the respoaisibiilities of an active catnpiaign, turning over to liis successor in command a well drilled and dlsciplined i'egteQent. And no" we will tuna iorward tlie pages of memory from tJiis point. After three years of acth'e Bervice we are found once again in Kalamazoo, not the former Sixth regiment, but now the old Sixth made ly the fortunes of war into the Sixth Heavy Artlllery. AVe have retumed to our loved oneá a feeble reninant of rtJie old coimmand, Very ntany of our brave conirades we have left beliiiid us. On every hillside and in every valley we liave given them a eoldier's burial, 110 battlefield tdirough the fïulf departan ent but Mlcnigan's beet blood has Oone put. It is thus Lat we return. Re-enListed for the war. We (have onjoyed a month's furlougih ■and are flfisem-bled here in Kalamazoo once again. Comrades, Is ïiot the picture plain beFore you? Ag-ain to-day we find ourselvee in dear o',d Kalamazoo for our reunión. Our belved colonel iias long since joined tlie eilent camp on the other side, amd as the years go by we are Jast falling out of tJie active line and our amnual meetings will see us nu more present. Sonue, after years of struggle, have failctl to come np even witli the times. Some have been db-cournged, aud aave even dragged along feeling themsjelTCS handicaped at all the points in tJie race-ior isuccess. Others, fewer in nuanber by iar, Jiave been oircumstanced.more ïavorably, have iorged up ev'en and are fully abreast of tlie tiines and ciowd. Notwitnstandiiig all tüjjs, I belitve there is not one of us wiio would care (il it could be done) to liave lus ajimy service wiped out. It was freely given and nobly sustained and tiiose wurds of our old covouel are now realized. We are tilad to refer to our record and every ome of us feels proud to liave it Baid of us-, "AVe are the b;ys of the old !ixtli Micliiga.il." TliO Kalamazoo Gazette gives a roster Of tlie 52 eurvivors. At the e'.ose of tlie meeting all the old o!fieers were re-elected.