from The Fitchburg Sentinel, Wednesday, 22 October 1902
Fifteenth Regiment:
Annual Reunion at Worcester Lends a Hand to Help Make a National Park of Ball's Bluff Battlefield.

The 36th annual reunion of this famous old regiment was held at Worcester, Tuesday, the annoversary of the Battle of Ball's Bluff.

Capt. David M. Earle of the association has taken an active interest in the plan to purchase the battlefield of Ball's Bluff, and through the efforts of Senator George F. Hoar an appropriation of $5000 has been made by the United States government for the purchase of the historic field. At the reunion, Tuesday, the officers and directors of the association were appointed a committee to represent the association in any work that may be done on the field by the government. As it marks the last resting place of 54 members of the regiment, the survivors feel they should take more than a passing interest in its future.

The progress made on the Devens monument was also discussed and Col. E. J. Russell for the committee assured the members if they lived until July, 1905, they would see the monument to their gallant leader completed and in its alloted place in front of the court house. One of the interesting exhibits of the day was a menu card of the first reunion ever held by the officers of the regiment at the Bay State House in 1864. The card is owned by Gen. John W. Kimball. The dinner at that time was served by Church Howe.

The gathering was called to order at 10:30 o'clock in the Board of Trade hall.

After the reading of the minutes of the previous meeting by Secretary Rice, the following committee was chosen to bring in a list of officers to serve the association for the coming year:
Joseph Williams of Co. A,[?]
Artemus A. Gibson of Co. B
John H. Carpenter of Co. C,
William H. Andrews of Co. D,
Capt. Peleg F. Murray of Co. E,
H. H. Slayton of Co. F
A. H. Batchelder of Co. G [?],
Capt. Samuel Fletcher of Co. H,
Hiram Raymond of Co. I, and
John E. Pharnes of Co. K.

The following list of officers was brought in by the committee and was unanimously elected by the association: President, Capt. Amos Bartlett; vice-president, Abbot H. Foster; secretary and treasurer, E. A. Rice; chaplain, John E. Pharnes; directors -- Thomas H. Hastings, David M. Earle, W. F. Miller, E. J. Russell, George H. Mirick.

The treasurer's report as read by Secretary Rice, who also serves as treasurer, was as follows: Balance on hand, Oct. 24, 1901, $2.41; collections at last anniversary, $30.73; received from Thomas J. Hastings for Antietam fund, $87.65; received from George J. Noyes, $5. Total receipts, $125.79.

Expenditures -- Paid out for ptinting, $5.25, for badges, $15; other expenses, $13. Total expenditures, $33.25, leaving a balance of $92.64. A collection for the regimental association fund was then taken up and $22.59 was added to the amount on hand.

Col. J. M. Studley of Providence asked that a list of the members of the association who died during the year be read. Four names had been given Secretary Rice, but this number was swelled by individual reports made by members of the various companies present. The list as completed is:
Frederick L. Hildreth, Worcester;
H. C. Lowell, Worcester;
Stillman Safford, Winchendon;
Daniel W. Freeman, Boston;
C. F. Southwick, Fitchburg;
Orlando McIntyre, Sutton;
Stephen Harrington, West Brookfield;
Alonzo Allen, Brimfield;
Jeremiah Lynch, West Brookfield;
W. R. Dean, Worcester;
J. C. Kelly, North Grafton;
John Chappell, Providence;
N. A. Sever, Danielsonville, Ct.;
John Mullen, Oakdale.

The failure on the part of the members to report the deaths to the secretary led to some discussion of a method to insure more prompt action in the future, and a committe of two from each company in the regiment was appointed to attend to that duty during the coming year:
Co. A, S. F. Maynard, Henry Joy, both of Leominster;
Co. B, Walter Eames of Somerville and Comrade Kimball of Fitchburg;
Co. C, Joseph E. Miner of Clinton, John H. Carpenter, Fitchburg;
Co. D., Joseph Willard of Leominster and W. H. Andrews of Worcester;
Co. E, Edward Cudworth of Rockdale and L. E. Thayer of Oxford;
Co. F, J. C. Converse of North Brookfield and David M. Earle of Worcester;
Co. G, F. E. Huckins of North Grafton and Charles M. Batchelder of Grafton;
Co. H., Capt Samuel I. Fletcher of Sherborn, Lawson A. Seagraves of Uxbridge;
Co. I, Capt. Amos Bartlett of Webster, H. J. Raymond of Webster;
Co. K, John E. Pharnes of Whitinsville, Henry Horton of Uxbridge.

Gen. John W. Kimball heartily endorsed the words of Capt. Earle, relative to the preservation of the battlefield of Ball's Bluff, and said nothing pleased him more since the day it was decided to erect a monument at Antietam. He said in part: While we lost the field that day we did not lose our honor as soldiers of Massachusetts. It is indeed well we have such an honored friend as Senator George F. Hoar, and I wish he were here with us today as I like to look him in the face and think of his beloved association with our gallant leader, Gen. Devens.

I am pleased to think that the people about Leesburg are silling to help us in this project and I would suggest that Capt. Earle's idea relative to the matter be put into the hands of our directors and that they be empowered to confer with Gen. Carmen. Gen. Carmen is a true friend of the regiment. Fifty-four of our comrades sleep their last sleep undisturbed at Ball's Bluff, and I feel if they could be consulted today they would say, "Let us sleep where we fell while fighting for the old flag."

In closing, I would say, comrades, cling close while you can and cherish those memories of days when we all did as much as we could to keep up the preservation of the Union.