Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-06-02
Decoration Day mt brandon.
MEMORIAL SERVICES BY COL
yEAZEY.

The ceremony of strewing with flowers
the graves of the soldiers who had served
in the war for the suppression Of the re-
bellion who were buried at Brandon, wal
observed Monday by Post Ford, G. A. f.
assisted by the citizens Of the town.
At about three o'clock in the afternoon,
q nroeession was formed in front of the
Town Hall by Captain Il. IL. Griswold
chief marshal, assisted by Messrs. Ire
Hatch, George v. Farr, Robert McGregol
and Judson Rust, as aids, in the followins
order: 1st, @. w. Peck, NJ. d., Command
or Of the Post, mounted, with his aids
Cd, Brandon brass band; Sd, wagon, GOV
cred with the American flag, drawn by
four horses, upon which was the monu
ment commemorative of Brandon's faller
heroes, upon the base of which was tn,
inscription, "To the memory of our fall
en- comrades who lie buried where they
fell" The monument was wound around
with the stars and stripes and was res.
TONED with wreaths of evergreens and
the choicegts flowers, and appropriately
draped in mourning, 4th, guard of sol
disrs, fully armed and equipped. 9th
orator and chaplain of the day, and the
"'ergY of the town, in carriages. 9th
oA,ir. 7th, public schools of Brandon
under charge of Mr.. ]. S. Cilley, principa
of the graded school. 9Th, members O
the Masonic fraternity, as individuals
with white gloves and aprons, Bro. ant
Col. A. S. Cook, marshal. 9th, citizens o
Brandon and neighboring towns, in car
riages
The procession, which was over thre
quarters of mile in length, then moved
directly to Pine Hill Cemetery. On tn,
arrival of the procession at the cemetery
the monument was removed from thi
wagon, and placed on a triangular lot
formed by the junction of Central, Chest
nut and Hillside avenues, a most beauti
full spot, which has been reserved, by thu
proprietors of the cemetery, for occasions
like this, and, as they hope, for the cree
ton of permanent monument to the
memory of the soldiers who have gone ou'
from Brandon and given up their lives fol
their country.
After the organizations and citizens
forming the procession, had been properly
arranged and seated, beautiful and ap.
propriate prayer was made by Rev. L. o.
Brastow of St. Johnsbury, chaplain of the
day, which was followed by vocal music
by choir selected for the occasion.
Col. Wheelock G.. Veazey, of Rutland,
was introduced, and delivered the follow
ing
GRAFTON.
Comrades and FeU02o Citizens III I
were TO call the roll of the brave men who
went out from Brandon in the hour of ma
tional peril to respond for their country
and the rights of man, silence would fol-
low many names upon this roll of honor {.
Absent but accounted for" would be my
sad report as to those whose graves we, in
the flush and warmth of this spring day,
are assembled to deck with fairest flowers,
accompanied with tender reoollections and
loving words.
Why absent, and how accounted for,
are thoughts which this occasion, amid
these tomb stones "where heaves the turf
in many Wondering heap" suggests to
my mind. Why absent? You have
heard the story of the Roman soldier who
stood erect and uDfllnching at his post at
the gate of Pompeii while the smotherin g
,nl h., al
city, and in this grand figure burned
out tho dauntless spirit it could not con-
quer." What induced him to make this
heroic saorihceP Throughout the ccntu-
ries that are gone, there have been Their
mopy l@4n passes to guard, and at each,
men have stood az did the 300 against the
myriads of the East, until none were left
to tell the story of the unequal struggle.
How ia this explained? History and ex-
perience impress us largely with the falsi-
ty and selfshncss of man. But this is not
the only lesson transmitted and taught,
The Thermopyles of history teach us OF
an element in human nature above self
a philosophy nobler than the ambition
that ordinarily measures human aspira-
tions, sentiment purer than that which
enters the wool of common life, or moves
man to selfish effort. The curse that
doomed man to labor for his bread, neces-
sarily drove him back upon himself, but
did not crush the sentiment of fraternity
within him, nor destroy his regard for
truth and justice.
Why absent? Because when the clash
of resounding arms came sweeping up on
the southern breeze from the battlements
of Sumpter, it was to them the warning
note of liberty echoing through the vault
ed heavens. Then was struck the hour
of patriotic duty, and the loyalty of their
hearts responded as though it were a
voice from the eternal world.
Why absent? Because to endure the
battles and miasma of the Peninsula; be-
cause to charge the heights of Fredericks-
burgh, bristling with rebel bayonets and
cannon; to stand like wall of adamant
on the banks of the Antietam, where
famed one of the fercest battles of his
tory; to face the unparalleled artillery
prelude upon the CORY slopes of Gettys-
burg, and with tenacity of purpose and
fierce determination hurl back in rout and
ruin the assaulting columns of treason tc
turn defeat to final and complete victory
in that most brilliant theatre of war, the
Shenandoah Valley to bear our banner:
triumphantly through the Wilder
ness, where the scythe of Death
swept as it never swept before; tc
end1re the agony of the protraoted siege
of Petersburg, and eclipse the glory o.
Balsklava in each repeated struggle fol-
the mastery there; and to crown all with
victory whose far-reaching consequences
can not be estimated in short, because tc
stand a human brsakwater against the
tidal wave of nebellion, was duty the
performance of which was, to them, death
They are absent because they were true
to the highest duty. They were in other
respects, undoubtedly, like other men
tinctured with the imperfections and
frailties of human kind; but il
sensibility to the demands of pa
triotic duty, in their service
and death they are distinguished from
others beyond comparison. They had nc
star like Napoleon, no dreamy sense Of
heavenly inspiration like Joan of Arc, nc
deep religious enthusiasm like Cromwell
Self-possessed, intelligent, conscious