Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-17
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
THURSDAY. JULY II, 1878.
VERMONT REUNION FORCES.

Over eight years ago, during dark
April night. the last armed soldier OF
that rebel army that had set like an IN
cubus upon the bosom of the nation and
almost driven our people to dispair,
fled from the streets of the capital OF
the Southern Confederacy, only to rush
into the arms of the loyal soldiery in
humiliation and surrender. For four
wears the struggle had been terrible and
deadly, and the flower of our young men
were either pressing forward into the
bloody vortex of death and destr lotion
or had been laid to sleep in the soldiers
humble yet glorious grave Those years
of struggle and trial created in the rank
and file of the loyal armies a great
brotherhood of loving hearts, knit to-
gether by the strongest tie known among
men, a Joint participation in common
danger and a common triumph. This
fraternal feeling thus engendered can
never be forgotten so long as men can
point to a survivor of the great struggle.
And those survivors can never tire OF re-
hearsing to each other the stories OF the
camp. or in recalling the trials of the
march and the battle field.
We all feel just pride in the part
which the sons of Vermont took in the
great conflict, and it has been often sug-
gested to us that the citizen soldiers of
our State could gather new inspiration
for the active duties of daily life,
and enjoy a few days pleasant satisfac-
ton in a grand reunion, where, in the
freedom of the camp, they could recount
the "reminiscences of the war, sing the
the old songs, and grasping beloved COM
rades by the hand, perpetuate the old
Jokes that for years have slumbered in
the memory, only waiting for sight of
some old, familiar face, to flash across
the recollections and explode into a
hearty laugh. The soldiers of the State
have decided to meet together in grand
encampment. A committee of arrange
ments are at work upon the preparations,
and early in the coming month the
grounds of the Rutland County Agricul-
tural Society, south of this village, will
be busy with the gathering hosts of
brave men who have done their country
service upon the field of bloody sacrifice.
The booming of canon and the strains of
martial music will reverberate from the
mountain side, and happy recognitions
light up with Joy thousands of soldiers
countenances. Such an occasion cannot
pass without full attendance of all who
have felt the magic touch of elbow in
the hour of the nations peril.
The committee have been yigilant in
preparation, that no oversight should
mar the regularity and harmony of the
occasion. Experienced soldiers have
charge of the arrangement of the grounds
and the camp. Abundant fuel is pro-
vided for the historic camp-fres. The
fife and the drum will sound the calls in
response to the headquarters bugle, and
we may well expect to see long lines
vending their way to the surgeons tent
to lay plans for g cleaning out a sutler. "
The time, the 9th, It'll and Sth of August,
has been selected on account of its being
in warm season, most reliable for pleas
ant weather, and sufficiently late that
the hurry of the haying season will be
substantially passed, and sufficiently
early not to interfere with courts, agri-
cultural fairs, or the hustle of the au-
tumn trade And what is a great con-
sideration, the time is one when full
harvest moon will render the camping
ground at night more pleasant and en-
joyable than in the daytime.
We think the committee wisely Sc
lected the very best time in all the year
for men to leave their homes and bust
ness and unite for three days in an enter
prise of profitable pleasure and enjoy
ment. And here we desire to say that
this reunion will be very economically
arranged, SO that the expenses of travel
ing will comprehend nearly all necessary
OUTLAWS, and that if any feel inclined to
let business prevent their attendance,
when they comprehend the extent and
nature of the reunion and enjoyment we
can but believe that they will, by harder
work, if necessary to finish haying, so
arrange ii as to be present Now is the
time to pitch in and do the haying, that
when the day arrives you may pitch in
and enjoy the best reunion occasion ever
known in the State.
This reunion is to include all ranks
and departments of the service, no con-
dition being required except honorable
service and discharge. Soldiers from
our State who have since the war taken
up their residence in other portions of
the country, will return to unite with
their comrades once more, while from
all the neighboring States we expect to
see large numbers who are united with
our boys in this festive occasion, as they
were in the struggles and glory of the
of the service. The prominent orators
and invited guests who have signifed
their intention to he present and join in
the intellectual feast of the encampment
comprehend many of the brightest minds
and best orators Of our regenerated ma
ton. There is no doubt but this will be
the grand occasion of the year in Yer
mont, and that not only the soldiers will
be out with full and complete ranks,
but that the citizens and ladies of our
State will look in upon their joy as in
the past they sympathized with their
sacrifices and mourned oyer their mis-
fortunes.
PEOzHTBrTVOg.