from The Fitchburg Sentinel, Friday, 22 Oct 1880

Fourteenth Annual Reunion of the 15th Regiment.

The 14th annual reunion of the veterans of the 15th Massachusetts regiment took place at Worcester, Thursday. At the business meeting, Vice President Col. Henry S. TAFT of Northbridge in the chair, and Edward A. RICE of Worcester secretary, the following officers were elected:
President, Gen. Charles Devens
vice president, George W. Baldwin of Boston
secretary and treasurer, Edward A. Rice of Worcester
directors
Capt. T. J. Hastings
L. H. Cummings and Charles H. Bemis of Worcester
D. W. Knight of North Brookfield and
L. D. Goddard of Worcester
chaplain Capt. Leonard Wood of Leominster
New members of the association were voted in as follows:
William H. Bergin and William H. Ford of Co. D, Worcester
J. S. Williams of Co. H, Uxbridge, and Cyrus T. Tucker of Blackstone.
The remainder of the forenoon was occupied in a social way by the 75 veterans present. This regiment was recruited at Camp Scott, South Worcester, in the summer of 1861, and was mustered into the service July 12, and left for the seat of war Aug. 8 following, under command of
Charles Devens as colonel;
Gen. George H. Ward as Lieut. Colonel;
Gen. John W. Kimball of Fitchburg as major;
Gen. Francis A. Walker, now superintendent of the United States census, as sergeant major;
Church Howe of Wyoming as quartermaster;
and Col. William R. Steele, since delegate in Congress from Wyoming Territory, as quartermaster sergeant.
The regiment was mustered out of service July 28, 1864, having a most meritorious record in the battles of Ball's Bluff, the Peninsula, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Bristow's Station, the Wilderness, and in all the battles from the Rapidan to Petersb urg, in which the 2nd army corps was engaged. Col. Ward rejoined the regiment Feb. 5, 1863, having been absent suffering by the loss of his leg at the disaster at Ball's Bluff, Oct. 21, 1861, and he was killed in action at Gettysburg, in July, 1863.

At noon, the veterans of the regiment formed in line under command of Gen. J. W. Kimball, and marched to the Continental Hotel, where an excellent dinner was served, provided by landlord E. A. Ward, brother of Col. Ward. The tables were handsomely decorated with flowers, and at one end was a life size portrait of the lamented Colonel. Each member of the association was presented by the ladies of the house with a handsome bouquet. The first exercise after dinner was the annual address, by Col. TAFT, the president of the day, who made an eloquent reference to the deeds and sacrifices of the brave men who risked their lives in the service, closing with a touching tribute to the honored dead of the old 15th.

Letters were read by the secretary from Gen. Devens and Gen. F. A. WAlker, at Washington;
George W. Baldwin, Esq., of Boston, formerly adjutant of the regiment, and
Capt. Leonard Wood of Leominster,
all regretting their inability to be present.

A magnificent bouquet, or rather pyramid of flowers, arranged by Mr. C. D. THAYER, was presented to the regimental association by the father and family of the lamented Lieut. J. W. Grout, who fell at Ball's Bluff, and a vote of thanks was extended to the donors for the gift, and the executive committee were directed to place a floral tribute upon the grave of the deceased in the cemeteryx. A vote of thanks was also extended to the ladies of the hotel for the bouquets to each member.

Capt. T. J. HASTINGS of Worcester read a poem, describing the passage of the regiment through Baltimore on its way to the front, written by a lady of New Jersey, who was present in Baltimore when the regiment passed through in August, 1861. ( Click HERE to read it.).

Maj. Anson Mills of the 10th cavalry, U. S. A., who has been in the service since 1861, was called upon, and gave an interesting account of some of his experiences in the army, now engaged in fighting the Indians. He said it was about as difficult a matter to civilize a full blooded Indian as to domesticate a buffalo; to do either is out of the question.

Speeches followed by Gen. J. W. Kimball, the third commander of the regiment;
Dr. Joseph N. Bates, the surgeon;
Col. John M. Studley of Providence, first captain of Co. D, of the 15th, afterwards lieutenant colonel of the 51st;
Capts. E. J. Russell, B. B. Vassall and T. S. Hastings of Worcester;
Comrades Spooner of Fitchburg, Tenney of Clinton, P. F. Murray, Harlan FAirbanks and L. H. Cummings of Worcester, and others,
all making interesting reference to various incidents of the service.

Gen. Kimball and Col. Studley spoke feelingly of the late Gen. Ward, and on motion of the former, a silent toast was given to the memory of the deceased.

Col. Taft, in the course of his tribute to Gen. Ward, said there was a representative of the family present, and his son, George W. Ward, was introduced and made a feeling and appropriate response.

Prof. A. S. Roe of the high school favored the company with several interesting readings, both serious and humorous, in his characteristic vein, which were exceedingly well received. Three regimental songs closing with "Auld Lang Syne," were sung. Comrade May brought his fiddle and gave the favorite old tunes, "19th Maine," and "5th Wisconsin." The company separated about 5 o'clock, having enjoyed one of the best reunions they ever held.