Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-06-09

our bills, that the long expected momen
/; OF bloody strife had arrived: that IN
7 noble emblem OF our power and national
D lty had been insulted aud fred upon b
, the uncircumcized and rebellious horde
OF the South: Who does not remembe,
!, when the first gun at Sumpter, reused on
e country from its lethargy, that "The,
. there was hurrying to and fro and gath
: ering tears, and sudden partings. ant
. choking sighs;" that "there was mount
3 ing In hot haste, the steed, the musterin,
] squadron, and the Gathering car, wen
| pouring forward with impetuous speed
} and swiftly forming in the ranks of war.
j Who does not remember the long. Ion,
/ and spontaneous outburst of patriotic feel
ing which echoed from hill and valley
and from peak to peak of our Gree,
Mountains, until it was caught M bv tn,
mastering legions of the whole North
and became the battle cry of freedom, il
that terrible conflict which ensued.
i Where is the man, that breathes thi
air, who can contemplate the noble ex
ample OF our people in that terrible day
and not feel proud that he is Vermonter
i When the news arrived at Athens tina,
Eleatia had been seized by Philip O
Macedon, the people all rushed togethe,
into the Assembly, and when the heralds
shouted, "who will speak for us, who will
speak for our deliverance," all was silent
as the grave, until Demosthenes came to
the rescue, and with words of burning
eloquenee, which are as immortal as his
name, reused his stupid and responding
countrymen to sense of their danger and
inspired them with spirit of successful
resistance of the tyrant
But not SO with the people of Vermont,
when in April 1861, the national heralds
proclaimed that our country was in dam
| ger, and demanded your services, when
you saw that ''from the glittering STAFF
had been "unfurled the imperial ensign
of your country, which, then "full high
| advanced, shone like meteor streaming
to the wind with starry gems and golden
lustre rich emblazed," you waited not for
Demosthenes to rouse your spirits and
stir your blood, but at once buckled on
your arms and went forth.
''Your couptry's daring champions,
To tell her foes you were not born for slaves,
To assert your oountry's rights, avenge her
wrongs,
And hurl the bolts of justice ON her foes"
But that day has past: the battle which
was to decide the cause of human liberty
on this continent has been fought and the
victory won, No more wars dread sum
mons" calls us from our peaceful homes
to scenes of cornage and blood shed no
more do we hear the notes of preparation
for the coming conflict, and no more does
the bugle's shrili notes call the patriot
soldier to the fierce encounter and the
bloody charge; all now isipeaee and
hat ~,
'front.'
and "all the clouds which lowered upon
our" beloved country, are in the deep
bosom of the ocean buried" The million
men, who but a few months ago, were ar
rayed in all the pomp and circumstance
The front OF freedoms battle charged the toe,
Now with the reapers to the burrows come
Or in the Councils of the State check
Encroaohing power and teach mankind to
Know and reverence the majesty of the law"
And you my comrades, the remnants
of those devoted bands, after having pass
ed through the tolls, the sacrifices and
glorious victories of that eventful period.
come up here today with your friends
and neighbors to celebrate the anniversary
of your vows and to join in the pleasing
yet solemn exercises of this occasion.
Your history from the memorable 21st
of July, 1861, when Vermont offered her
first sacrifice upon the bloody altar, down
to the last grand charge at Petersburg,
where "laural wreaths by angel fingers
wrought were twined around your brows,"
has become as familiar as household
words : 1t is the proud inheritance of our
people, and will be handed down as
rich and sacred legacy to their descend
ants. The record is made up, the meas
ure of your glory is full, and the bright
and pQ Sn ae hd t99ssgs 81 tie
Green Mountain Boys will be inscribed
The past at least is secure; there is
Savages Station and Lees Mills, South
Mountain and Antietam. Fredericksburgh |
and the Wilderness, Gettysburgh and |
Fishers Hill, and there they will remain
forever, growing brighter and brighter,
as long as God in his Providence, shall
permit men to strive after liberty and
national life
II you are asked THAT saosiAoea We
have made; let the badges of mourning in
every household, and the empty sleeves
seen in our public assemblies, and the
CORY graves which dot a hundred battle
fields, and ten thousand grayeyaras,
through the whole length and breadth of
our land, give their sad and silent answ ers.
Ii not satisfied with this, you desire more
evidence, look around you, and then go
to yonder Capital among the hills, and
behold those tattered flags: The strong
arms and stout hearts which bore them
proudly and gallantly through the blood,
and smoke, and fire of hundred battles,
are now cold in death, but those sacred
relics of their devotion to country are
there to-day, as living, speaking memen
toes, of the courage and endurance of
your troops: Gould those worn and tat
tered ensigns be inspired with the power
of speech, what tales of suffering and
heroism would they unfold Those faded
and blood-stained banners once marked
the lines of your gallant regiments on
many a hard fought field, and those ac7
cursed rents were made by rebel bullets
fired at the heart of this Republic.
With the bodies of our fallen comrades,
we have done all that kindness and love,
and sympathy, can dictate or suggest /, we
have given them the soldiers last salute, |
and laid them beneath the cod of their
native valley and we now await, with a
christians hope, the glorious morn, when
this corruptible shall put on interruption,
and all that is mortal shall awake to i'm
mortality. There in peace let them rest
until the last great reveille shall sound,
and they shall again be mustered to honor
and TO victory.
Here in this quiet and secluded spot
let them rest for their work is done, and
the great task of their lives is completed. |
The last greet duty of the patriot has been
been fully and faithfully performed, and
in future years we will bring our children
to these tombss and swear them upon
these holy affairs / hither, as to the Del
phie oraoies, will repair the old and
young, to conseorate themselves anew to
heir country, and to offer up a grateful
homage for he rich blessings secured to
them at SO terrible sacrifice.
We do not mourn their fall, they died as
they would have wished, and we'll it may
he said Of them :
e How siee.,, the brave who sink to rest,
By all their countries wishes best;
When spriug with dewey fingers cold,
Returns to deck their hallowed mould,