SEVENTEENTH REUNION
Large Attendance at the Exercise in Ridgefield on Saturday
Danbury was well represented at the reunion of the Seventeenth regiment at Ridgefield. Company C, to which the Danbury soldiers belonged who served in the civil war, being part of that regiment. Members of the regiment from Norwalk, Bridgeport and other cities were present to the number of seventy-five or more. There were also members of other regiments there in large numbers.
The reunion was held on the grounds of ex-Governor Phineas Lounsbury, and the collation, which was served at noon was held in the old catholic church. In the morning, a business meeting was held, which continued until the collation was announced. The election of officers for the ensuing year was part of the business transacted and resulted as follows:
President, George Hale, of Westport; secretary, A.W. Peck, of Newtown; treasurer, P. Wade, Jr., of Bridgeport. The reports of the various committees were heard. A lengthy discussion on the compiling of a history of the regiment took place, but nothing definite was done toward it.
After the collation was enjoyed by the five hundred or more people present, the regular exercises of the reunion were held, beginning at two o’clock. The first speaker announced by the chairman of the Ridgefield citizens committee, who acted as chairman, was the Hon. Phineas Lounsbury, who is a member of the regiment. His remarks were interesting and well received by the old soldiers present, to whom his speech had a double significance. He was followed by Judge Pickett, of New Haven, who, while not a member of the regiment, was brought up in Ridgefield, and his remarks on the relation of the town to the regiment were very interesting. His brother was a member of the regiment, and after his death at Gettysburg, Judge Pickett brought his remains back to Ridgefield.
Another interesting speaker was ex-Police Commissioner McClave, of New York. Among the prominent people there were Past Commander Blakeman, of Ansonia, and Captain Gray, of Newark.
After the exercises resolutions were passed thanking the Red Cross, and particularly Clara Barton, for the work done during the late war, thanking the town committee for the reception they were given and congratulating the people on a steady peace.
The Norwalk Union band furnished music for the exercises, and headed the procession when the visitors were escorted from the station, and when they marched to and from the church.