Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-09-02
FUNERAL OF MAJOR REYNOLDS The funel

ItNEhAt OF hAJOk ht1NOIHs h' ANAA~-
al services of Wm. B. Reynolds. Major of the
/ 18th Vt, We're held in the church at West
Milton yesterday "wednesday afternoon
and were very fully attended. Besides the
relatives and townsmen Of the deceased,
many Of his friends from other towns and
some of his comrades in arms were present.
Among these latter was Gen. Stannard, now
spending n few weeks in Vermont to recruit
strength and recover from painful wound.
The funeral discourse was delivered by
Rev. o. G. Wheeler of Grand Isle. lie Sc
lected as a text the 5th and 9th verses OF the
18th Psalm. TIforget thee o Jerusalem
ct my right hand forget her cunning. II 10
not remember thee let my tongue eleare 10 the
roof Of my mouth If prefer NOT Jerusalem
ab0Ue my chief Joy. From these words, ''the
outgushing Of generous patriotism he dc
duced as his theme Patriotism and its de-
mands, "a theme appropriately considered
ON such an occasion, where lesson was 70
be drawn from the life. and more especially
the death, OF oae who lell fighting for his
country. Patriotism. one Of the noblest EN-
otious of which the heart is capable, can be
felt rather than defined. Ii is that feeling
with which home and its surroundings are
regarded. extended, 30 as 10 embrace not
neighborhood town or a State, but our en-
tire country. This ratriotism i, the patriot
ism Of New England and TIE North, as dis
tinguished from the patriotism of the South
the one regards the interests Of the Repubic
and the Constitution as supreme the highest
aspirations of the other have reference only
to the welfare Of the Individual '' Sovereign
State" The one is large and generous
patriotism, the other is narrow and restrict
ed. The contest between these, and not any
Of the other issues that have been
presented. is the real struggle of to-day.
In such contest the true patriot cannot
hesitate as to tie part De shall
bear. He must bs ready % sacrifice al
thins.-if need be bis life, 30 defence of a .
righteous cause. To find such patriotism
cxemplifed. we have to look 90 the heroes of
the revolution. or To the veterans of the pre-
sent war-tho,e who enlisted in t-e begin
ming of the contest. when patriotism and not .
merely merceuary motives prompted the s'.- .
der: we have TO look at those now lying in .
our hospitals. who. after months OF service .
in the camp. and other weary months o. pain .
of sickness and Of suffering, still retain the
heroic spirit with which they enlisted 90
their couutrys cause We find such
patriotism czemrlihei, in the character
of many OF those who have fallen, and
it /, not too much 20 say
most fully ezemE lifted, in hi' character
whose recent death is So lamented, and whose
memory is so fonlly cherished.
VIM. b. Reynolds, enli>tins as a private
soldier. went out as 1T lieutenant Of Co. .
tie 9th Vt. proved himself brave man IN .
many hard fought battles and bad risen TO ihc .
honorable position Of major Of the l7thRegt
lie .ell while in command of the regiment
and leading them on in the assault made at .
Pe;er-bursh after the explosion Of the mine.
1t was in the thick of the fight, when the
forces opposed TO him were gaining an adyan- .
ta.e and had demanded his Surrender. Al .
though tine odds were much against him he
refused TO comply with tni- dymaud. This .
refusal c,st him his lie He was shot down,
the ball passing through hi, body, and the .
wound proving .atal almost Immediately. He .
had only strength to whisper a few words TO
a comrade and to indicate by gesture that .
he wished a ring and other tokens of re- .
membrance to be saved from the rebels and
carried to his friends His last wishes were
complied with, when the enemy pushing on
eaised the field, and he was buried within
the rebel lines.
Words appropriately sung at his funeral,
and found with letters Of f,rewell to friends
at home. in his haversack, seem as fitting as
# written in his memory.
"How blest the brave who sink 10 rest
BY all their country's wishes bles'.'
The religsous character Of Maj Reynolds
gave depth and intensity to his patriotism.
He WIS known and referred to by acquain-
tances at home and associates IN the army,
as Christian man, one who was prepared
for the summons that called him from his
post of duty