The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-23
The Burial of Vermont Soldiers.

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The Burial Of Vermont Soldiers.
Our correspondent from the seat Of war
informs US that, among other impressive and
appropriate ceremonies connected with the
burial of the dead in the Sd Vermont reg-
mcnt, killed at the battle Of Lees Mills, Chap
lain Mack made the following remarks:
Everything connected with soldier s
duties, especially at this time, must necessa-
riIy be attended with haste; yet we cannot
let the events of the 10th April, go, pass
without formal notice. We could not do
justice to our own feelings without pausing
amid the stirring scenes that are passing
around US, for the purpose Of dropping the
tear of sympathy upon the new made graves
of those who SO noby fell on that memorable
day, and are now sleeping their last sleep,
Tor they have
'Fought their last battle,''
Assembled as we are this day, amid scenes
that witnessed not only the struggles, but the
,riumphs Of our Revolutionary Fathers as
we'll as the more rcceCt events still fire. h in
our memories, we are prepared to re.
aIizc better than ever before that there is such
a thing as the sacred soil OF Virginia may
nolc. its sacred waters, since there has been a
mingng with it OF as pure and patriotic
blood as ever flowed in human veins. Let US
pause, then, amid the din and strife Of war, as
We in thong ht link the events Of yesterday
with those of the past century.
Here we are, at least in Imagination, amid
the camp fires of the revolutionary heroes,
with such men as George Washington and
Marquis Lafayette as leaders. There is a
wonderful power in association, and standing
where we do this day, with the past, present
and future all before US, what imaginations
crowd themselves upon US. No spot in the
revolutionary struggle awakcus more pleasing
associations than this Peninsula, which wit.
messed the closing scene Of that terrible con.
test for freedom. 1t vas commenced at Lex.
ington but here, at Yorktown, a blow was
struck, in the capture of CORVALLIS and his
entire army, that brought the long protractod
struggle to speedy and successful ISSUE
Here it was that that dark and portentous
cloud that had been hanging over the strug.
Cling colonies so long was dissipated, and they
were permitted to see with clearer vision
than ever before, 10 look upon that bright bow
OF promise so full ofnatural hope as it spaDncd
the Heavens.
How deeply interesting to the future histo-
rian, who is to fill out the unrecorded page of
our national history, will be this place-for
the very ground beneath our feet is composed
in part OF the dust of those who offered them.
selves sacrifice at the sacred shrine of LIB
erty. In the interment of our dead we have
unintertionaly disturbed their bones, that
had been bleaching here Tor nearl y century.
1t no doubt would have been great comfort
to many Borrowing heart, if the remains of
| loved ones could have been returned to their
| friends, for interment in the old church yard,
to sleep beside kindred dear, but as this priv.
iege could not be granted, under the crcum-
stances, where could a more fitting place be
| found than here. beside those who tell in pur.
chasing what We are called upon to defend.
But as we turn from the contemplation of the
past to that OF tho present, we have before US
a new Illustration of the fact, that strangely
disslmilar events sometimes occur in the same
place.
Napoleon fought one of his bloodicst bat
ties, during his campaign in the East, upon
the sacred nights OF Mt. Murat, which had
been the scene of the TRANSPORTATION of the
worlds Redeemcr. AID, to-day, the mosque
OF Omar, with lis waning crescent, stands up
on the same mount that was o.ce adorned by
Solomon's Temple; aud here, where or
fathers, the old heroes Of the war of 76, pour
cd out their blood like water, that they might
build up Tor the generations following "a glorl.
Gus Temple Of Liberty, we see their degene.
rate sons wasting in their mad phrenzy the
strength that God las given them in the des.
tructlon OF what should be the palladium Of
their hopes that they might erect upon its ru.
ms affairs to the gods Of the heather.
How wonderfully are the events of the 10th
and 18th of April, 81, linked with these Of
the past 1t was upon the 10Th of April,
1851, that the President called upon the Gov