Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-05-25
Middlebury, May 22d.
The Banquet of the Army of the
Potomac.

u ne VI VI INV
Potomac.
SPEECH OF COL. wHEELoCK G. vEAZEY.
The reunion of the Society of the Army
of the Potomac at Boston last week, closed
with dinner at the Revere House, which
was one of the most enjoyable of the many
pleasant features of the occasion. The
spacious dining hall was very handsome
ly decorated. A platform and table ex-
tended from end to end on one side,
which was occupied by the officers of the
Society, more prominent generals, and in
vited guests, including, many gentlemen
in high civil and judicial positions
Along the front of this table ran a minia,
ture breast work of moss, about six inches
high, over which small field pieces Of
brass or guided wood, crowned" as they
always say in talking of batteries, down
each of the numerous tables, which at
right angles to the long table, filled the
| Hall Over three hundred officers sat down
to the banquet. The floral decorations OF
the tables were very elegant, prominent
among which was a superb Sixth Corps
badge, of white exotics, with the figure
in crimson flowers in tho center, which
was presented to General Hooker in the
course of the evening. Those who know
what kind of dinners are got up by the
proprietors of the Revere House when
they really try, will not need to be told
that the banqnet was a most luxurious
and elegant one. Cur limits will not per-
nit us to report, even in brief, the CAPT
tai speeches which followed. Two things
were worth notieing-one, the attempt to
read a long letter from Admiral Porter,
written in response to an invitation to be
present. The soldiers think very little OF
Porter, as a man or as letter writer, and
| tho rnise and confusion made it necessary
to abandon the reading of the letter after
few sentences had been inflicted on the
company. The other was the utter fail
ure of an effort TO get up three cheers for
General Mcclellan.
After the'regular festivities had CON
Guided there ensued supplementary
season of speech. making and hilarity, over
which Gen. Pleasanton presided. Among
others who made felicitous speeches, was
Col. w. G. Veazey, in response to senti-
ment complimentary to the Vermont
Brigade We give below an abstract OF
the speech but which hardly comes up
to what the Colonel SO admirably said.
COL. vEAzEYs SPEECH.
The lateness of the hour forbids extend
ed remarks in response to the compliment
paid to Vermont by the sentiment just
read, and I hesitate to speak in this dis
tinguished presence without having had a
moments notice that I was to be other
than listener to night. Cries of 60 on,
90 on But if it be the voice of the
eminent citizen soldiers of Vermont about
| these tables, and especially the order of
nv old friend and commander Gen. STAN
nard, | will not shrink from the task,
relying upon the inspiration of the occa-
sion, and remembering that soldiers will
not brook any unkindly criticism of a
comrades fault.
1t is true that our little State, up among
the green hills, where liberty and loyalty
delight to dwell, was largely identified
with the army of the Potomac. With q
population but little larger than that OF
this grand old hospitable city, she sent
80 900 men, nearl y all ''to the manor
born" to aid in suppressing the great re-
bellion. These men with but few ex-
ceptions served at some time in the army
of the Potomac, and nearly all of them
served through their entire term with
that army. 1t is doubtless known to
many of you that the Potomac army never
| fought a battle in which the Green
Mountain Boys did not participate and
it is source of no little pride to us that
throughout the four years of war they
never lost a lag. Not one of those sacred
emblems committed to their charge ever
felt the polluting touch of traitors
hand. We feel no little pride too, in the
fact that Vermont not only responded to
every call for men, but always bad large
numb standing to her credit in advance
of every call and when the war closed.
from 1000 to 5000 beyond her entire quo
ia was accredited to our State. But mind
you, we do not claim that credit for the
next war. Should the pestilence of war
again breathe upon us, which heaven for
fend, should the integrity of the Repub-
lie be again threatened, whether by the
hand, of treason or by external foes. I
pledge you tonight, and raise aloft the
only remaining hand of General Stannard
as security for the pledge. that Vermont
will not only furnish $4,000 men, but
every man capable of bearing musket,
and if those are not sufficient, her women
too, always and everywhere irresistible.
who will again seize those battle-torn flags
and return them to the front, their won
ted place in the hour of battle, and there
maintain them against every foe of the
nation, which was fashioned under a
Washington and preserved under Lin
coin. Long applause.