1Bucks County Intelligencer,  Return of the 104th Regiment—A Public Reception in Doylestown.  September 27, 1864  Page 3  Col. 1

 

Return of the 104th Regiment—A public reception

in Doylestown.—Information was received in Doylestown

toward the end of last week that the men of the 104th Regi-

ment whose time had expired were about to start for their

home.  For several weeks past the regiment has been at

Fort Ward, near Alexandria.  On Saturday evening, about

9 o’clock, the men who are to be mustered out left Washing-

ton for Philadelphia, where they arrived on Sunday morning. 

In the afternoon, several of them came on the train to

Doylestown.  The number who came to Philadelphia is about

250.  The main body of the regiment, some 400 or 500

which remains in the service, is said to have been ordered to

Winchester.

As it was considered fitting that these veterans of the

Union army should receive a public welcome from their

friends at home, a town meeting, called by the borough

council, was held in Doylestown on Saturday evening.—

Judge Chapman presided, with H.T. Darlington and J. D.

Mendenhall as Secretaries.  The object of the meeting hav-

ing been stated, it was resolved to delegate the management

of the reception to a committee of fifteen persons who were

thereupon appointed, viz :—Rev. S. M. Andrews, Richard

Watson, James Gilkyson, Abiah J. Riale, John J. Brock,

Moses Kulp, H. T. Darlington, J. D. Mendenhall, Reuben

F. Scheetz, J. W. Cowell, S. A. Smith, Philip K. Fretz,

John Clemens, George Lear, and Dr. McCoy.  A committee

to collect funds was also appointed, consisting of John J.

Brock, Thomas W. Goucher, Nathan P. Brower, Nathan C.

James and Lewis B. Thompson.  The appointment of a

committee of ladies to assist in the preparations was suggest-

ed and agreed to—the committee being named as follows: 

Mrs. James Gilkyson, Miss Riale, Miss Irene Henry, Miss

Nightingale, Mrs. Higgins, Mrs. P. K. Fretz, Mrs. John

Clemens, Mrs. Darlington, Miss Lovett, Miss Buckman, Miss

Isabella McCoy, Mrs. James Vanhorn and Mrs. R. W. Ham-

iton.

The committee of arrangements, which met the same

evening, appointed Rev. S. M. Andrews to deliver the ad-

dress of welcome, and James Gilkyson, Esq., to act as chief

marshal of the procession from the railroad to the Court

House yard, where the refreshments will be spread.  The

innkeepers of the town were required to act as a commit-

tee to superintend the culinary arrangements of the occasion. 

Persons living in the adjoining townships who feel an interest

in the regiment, were requested to send their contributions

to some member of the ladies’ committee.  As a large num-

ber of people will probably be present when the soldiers

arrive, it is likely that everything supplied can be put to

use.  Arrangements were also made to procure the attend-

ance of the Hatborough band for the day of reception.

As the returned men of the 104th have not yet been paid

or mustered out, it is somewhat uncertain when they will

reach Doylestown.  It is supposed, however, that they will

come on Thursday or Friday of this week.  Until that time

they will remain in or near Philadelphia.