Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-07-21
Reception of the Fourth Vermont.

The. Fourth regiment, Brevet Brig. Gen
Geo. p. Foster commanding, arrived at
oclock Sunday mcrnIng. They were re
i1cd at the depot with a national salute
marched to the City Hall, where Rev
7. CooIer, OF the Pine Street Methods
trch was introduced by Col L B. Platt
ID welcomed the returning heroes, Al
OIows
GersraI Foster, Officers and Soldier, Of n,
Fourth Vsrmont FoiuHter,:
II smy pleasing duty in behsl
Of the citizens OF Burlington, to speak 10 you
few words Of welcome. We welcome you to-day
from many long and weired march, and from
many hard fought battle, 10 your quiet and
peaceful homes. The work you went forth near
ly four years ago TO perform. is done. The
wicked rebellion which threatened our national
I life. is put down; the honor Of the Stars and
| Stripes has been maintained. and the cause OF
free people and free government has been
vindcated forever. You and your fellow SOL
dierS from Vermont have done your full share
Of this work From the battle at Lees Mills to
the fall Of Petersburg and Richmond, wherever
Of the hottest Of the battle; and on more than
one occasion, as at the battle Of the Wilderness.
/ you have turned the tide Of battle against our
/ foes and in favor of the Stars and Stripes"
All honor 10 the Fourth Vermont. the Yer
mont Br gade, and the soldiers Of Vermont for
the noble part they acted in the mighty strife for
/ freedom in which they have ba;tled. While
many cf your comrades in arms have fallen on
the field Of battle, or have died in an epemy's
prison, whom their loved ones at home will new
er meet sgain, you are permitted 10 return in
peace TO your homes snd loved ones
May the god hand Of the Lord that has
brought you through the tolls and dangers Of
the war TO your native State. guide You safely
to these homes and those loved ones, and may
lie permit you to enjoy through long life the
social. civil and religious privileges YOU have
fought and blel to defend and preserve
And now, with these words Of welcome, we in
yiie you to the hall above to partake ofthe gcoi
things Of this life, provided for you by the ladies
Of this city.
Gen Foster replied IN appropriate terms
alluding to the bravery and services OF the
Vermont soldiers, and to the memory of the
brave boys who have found honorable graves
on Southern battle fields. and returning the
thanks of the regiment for their welcome
The regiment then filed into the Hall. Here.
though it was Sunday, and rainy day at
that. they found the galleries filed with Ia
dies. who welcomed them with songs and
waving hantkeTchiels and showers-of blu-
quct- Gen Foster cnterIngIwith the battle
worn headquarters flag of the Vermont Brig
ade. was received with three cheers. The
troops quickly surrounded the tables, which
were loaded with good things, and when du-
Is refreshed, marched to their quarters at
the Hospital, much pleased with their re-
cep,ion. Tne following are the present of
GERS Of the regiment
FIELD AND STAFF
Col. s Brerd Brig. Gsn.-Geo p Foster
LieH. COL-J,hn Pratt .NaJor-Chss .
BJutin .fiuia1f-Jimes Gallagher .
QuGrfermasicr-ll W Spatsorl (; Surgeo7-E .
NJ Curtis Chapiaia-JOhn Roberts.
LINE officers.
Comp1uy 4, Capi-L " Fisher lit Lieut.
-RW Chamberlain ID Lieuf-Wm Munger
Company b, Capi-A X Nichols lH
Lieuf-Geo p Spaling; u Lisut-Jos c
Waterson
Company c, CGp,-Howari Chapin p
Lieui-C Chspln.
Company d, Capt-w W Peirce Isl
Lisut-Chas Dam /; u Lieui-Jsmes Drury.
Company E, Capt-Geo II AmldOn Isl
Lisuf-Chas II Newton.
Company =, Capi-Chas G Fisher lst
Lieui-Jos B Neeiham; p Lisut-N \
Smith.
Company g, Capt-S F Norton p Lieut.
- -IillsOn.
Company n, Capi-w W Smith la Lie4i
Curtis Abbott II Lieut-W II Keller.
Tnr FouB1n V1.-The Fourth Vermont
was mustered into the service at Brattleboro,
2lst, 1851, with 1912 officers and
men, E. II Stouglton, Colonel. The Iegi-
men, was first under FIRE at Lees Mills where
t acted us a support for tie Sd regiment and
did good service, Its ,knmielcrs ko,pirg Fl
ent by their fire, two gun battery of the |
,ncmv. Thencelorward wherever the old
Vermont Brigade was engaged, in almost ev-
ny battle Of the Army of the Potomac, tie
Fourth was "in, leaving its dead "with
eet to the foe" at Savage Station. CramP-
on's Pas. Aniietam, the two Frcdericks-
,urs,, Funkstown, Wilderness, SpottsYlva-
Tia. Cold HaIbor, Weldon Railroad, VIM
,hcster Fishers Hill, Cedar Creek and Pc
ersburg.
At the First Fredericksburg, the reg
ment, under Lieut.. Colonel Foster. lost s.
nen killed and wounded. At Gettysburg. |
lie Fourth WAS on the skirmish line and :
lore exposed than any regiment of the ,
Brigade. At Funkstown, the week after, l
there the old Brigade was all deployed as '
kirmishcrs, without supports. and repulsed t
cIcated assaults OF two or three brigadCs Of :
be cnony,-thc most noted instance of its
lind in tie War,-the Fourth had its full '
hare Of fighting, and among its wounded I
we're its Colontl, Charles b Stoughton, who q
eceiycd ball in the head, the result of c
IhIcn was the loss of an eye, and his sub s
,quent retirement from the service. a
In the battles of the Wilderness and q
which well nigh destroyed the
ID Brigade, the Fourth cpecially distin- :
uished itself and suffered terribly, losing T
yer 800 men. At the battle below Peters f
urg. on the Weldon Road June 23d, 1864, b
le Fourth held an advanced position as r
sirnishers, and was entirely surrounded by c
he enemy. The regiment, under Msjr {
ratt, fought till their ammunition was ex- o
austed, and then surrendered, l39 officers c
nd men. many Of whom afterwards died Of a
Iposure and starvation at Andersonville, q
a. The oolors OF the regiment were saved IL
= few bravo officers and men who cut c
,eir way out. Capt. VIM. A. Tracy, to O
hose bravery, patriotism and purity of a
laracter. the official reports bear high testi- n
ony, was among the killed. n