Hastings Man

The following data is extracted from Thirteenth Michigan Infantry, February 1909.

The 44th annual reunion of the 13th Michigan Infantry came to a close at 10:30 this Friday morning, at which time the business meeting of the regiment was held.

At this meeting Captain H. H. Trask. of Hastings, was elected President for the ensuing year to succeed Edson Woodman, of Paw Paw, while Charles Hogle, of Kalamazoo, was elected Secretary to succeed himself.

This reunion is considered by the old soldiers to be the most successful event of the kind ever held. The registration reached the high water mark with an enrollment of 112, and there were a large number of ladies present also.

All expressed themselves as satisfied with the camp fire on Thursday evening. The soldiers liked to hear each other relate the experiences of the war which they had shared in common. As one old soldier put it, "We meet for the purpose of talking and visiting, and we always enjoy it. But last night we had a good old fashioned visit among ourselves, and that is the way it ought to be."

It was decided to hold the next meeting in Kalamazoo.


The Camp-Fire

The camp-fire of the Thirteenth was held Thursday night in the Park Street Christian Church. The church was packed, and the enrollment of veterans on the roster showed considerably more than 100 present.

It was an occasion which has been looked forward to for a full year by every member of the regiment. Somehow these old comrades just about live from one of these camp fires to another. They are always informal, and all who wish to speak have the opportunity to do so. This sort of thing is likely to prove slightly tire-some to the outsider, but it seems that the old soldier doesn't care much what the outsider thinks; he doesn't run his camp-fire for the benefit of the outsider.

Many of those who were called upon to speak Thursday night were not mean orators, by any means, and many of the reminiscences proved interesting beyond expectation. The war was re-fought from beginning to end for the 44th time, and those who have not sufficiently familiarized themselves with the conflict of 1861-'64 will be glad to learn that the Union side won, thanks, largely, to the brave and untiring efforts of the gallant 13th.

Source: Thirteenth Michigan Infantry, February 1909

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