Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 192, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1912 — 87th Boys Held Herndon on 50th Anniversary of Departure. [ARTICLE]

87th Boys Held Herndon on 50th Anniversary of Departure.

It was fifty years ago Sunday, August 11th, that one hundred or more young men started from Rensselaer to take their place in the Union, army. It was Company A of the 87th regiment, a full company of zealously patriotic young men who were prepared for any sacrifice that might be necessary to aid in settling the great strife begun a little over a year before. The company went to South Bend, the mobilization point of the regiment and from there to Indianapolis and then to Louisville. 'Their first battle was at Perryville, where, said one of the survivers, “We had our first introduction to war.” This was in 1862. It was a strange contrast to the appearance of today. Sunday, in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of their departure Comrade Thos. A. Crockett, one of the survivors, entertained at his home in Rensselaer the following comrades: Whitsel Lewis, George Morgan, J. Q. Alter, D. H. Yeoman, W. M. Hoover, Marsh Rhoades and Shelby Grant. Mrs. Crockett, Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. Alter and Mrs. Morgan were present with their husbands and “Grandmother” Morgan, Miss Amanda Israel and Mr. Crockett’s son, George, and wife and son, were also present and helped to make the event one of rare pleasure and it was decided to make the reunion an annual event in the future. In the afternoon several others stopped at the Crockett home and listened to the war reminiscences and enjoyed a smoke. Callers in the afternoon were William Washburn, Burgess Dillon, James Flynn and William Smith. Grandmother Morgan is now in the 89th year of her age. The ages of the 87th Burvivors are as follows? Whitsel Lewis 76, Thos. Crockett 70, William Hoover 70, D. H. Yeoman 70, Shelby Grant 69, J. Q. Alter 68, Marsh Rhoades 66, George Morgan 64.