Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-06-03
Decoration Day at Chester.

staff on South street had been raised to
its position, flag foated across the
Square at the depot and on Prospect
Hill our friend Barrett had erected
staff and Haunted handsome flag to the
breeze, and in this instance the founda-
ton on which the staff rested was as firm
as the principles on which our COVER
mental fabric rests and as eternal as
the stars on the banner above.
Monday morning dawned hot and dus.
ty but the people mindful of the day
and loyal to the memory of their mar
tyred dead forgot heat and dust and came
forth to bear their part in the ceremo-
MES of the day. The procession was
formed at the Hall of Post Brooks
near the depot at halfpast ten o'clock
by Marshal VIM. A. Miller assisted by
George L. Fletcher, Esq, and Joseph p
Barnes, Esq, Deputy Marshals.
The order of procession was as follows:
1st. Chester Cornet Band.
End. Post Brooks No. %, G. A. R.,
III. Henry commander, numbering twen-
ty-two comrades.
Sd. A carriage drawn by span of
beautiful grays, containing the orator of
the day, Rev. A. B. Flanders, Rev. j. G..
Hale, Nathaniel Fullerton, Esq. and Maj.
William Rounds.
4th. A carriage drawn by a pair of
splendid bay horses and containing FIVE
ladies belonging to the Quartette Club.
Both the carriages and teams were from
the stabl e of M. w. Perham whose
whole souied generosity contributed these
without money and without price as his
offering for the day.
9th. Olive Branch lodge, F. A. NJ,
numbering some sixty, under the Mar
shalship of N. w. Wood.
9th. The teachers and scholars of
school districts No 20, 8, 1 and %, and
this was the most touching and beauti-
full part of the procession.
7th. Citizens on foot and in carriages.
The procession moved to the cemetry
at North Chester and halted where the
following ceremonies were had:
LIST. Reading general order, No. s Head
Qrs. G. A. R., by the Post Commander.
End. Dirge by the band.
Sd. Prayer by Rev. j. G. Hale.
4th. Singing by the Quartette Club
under the direction of Prof. VIM. j.
Clarke.
/ 9th. Decoration of graves by the Post
and afterwards by the citizens generally.
After these ceremonies the procession
was reformed and marched to the GENE
try at South Chester, entering which
they passed under beautiful arch Of
evergreen interspersed with flowers, the
handiwork and offering of Mr.. Patrick
Looney whose skill and taste in such
matters is seldom equalled. Here after
the procession was halted the following
ceremonies were had:
LIST. Reading of general order, No. s
by the Post Commander.
2nd. Dirge by the Band.
Sd. Prayer by Rev. A. B. Flanders.
4th. Quartette.
9th. Decoration of the graves by the
Post and afterwards by the citizens gen
orally. At this cemetry, after the Post
had decorated the soldiers graves, they
were marched to the grave of II. FL. Hen
ry and a comrade deposited there 8
beautiful cross and boquet, which the
Post had received marked for III. FL
Henry the soldiers friend" At this Gem
etry too was beautiful memorial, the
handiwork of A. A. Deming, containing
the names of thirty-seven of Chester's
brave boys who sleep their last sleeT
away from the hamlet they gave Their
lives to defend, here the Post deposited
THEN LAST offerings, and the procession re
formed and marchad to the church, where
after prayer by Rev. Mr.. Hale and sing
ing by the Quartette Club, the citizens
listened with deep attention but not with
unmoved hearts nor with dry eyes to the
Grafton delivered by Rev. A. B. Elan
ders. He first commenced by giving 6
clear and earnest exposition of the prin
ciples which founded and now contro
the organization known as the Crane
Army of the Republic, he next portray
ed the dark days of the rebellion and
then led us to the days when through tht
thunders of Vicksburg and Gettysburg
the bright sun of victory began to shine
through the cloud upon the land, ant
then taught us what this victory meant
not savage triumph but the eterna
, sealing of noble truths, and last he SPOKE
of our dead of Vermont's dead o
Chester's sleeping sons, until many eye:
were suffused with tears. The ORATOR
was meet for and equal to the occasion
: we could say no more and can say III