Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-08-13
The Rutland Reunion.

were evidently at great pains to have every
thing convenient for the boys to camp out ;
the good people of Rutland gave literally
both of their money and taste to welcome the
veterans, and even the clerk OF the weather
provided his best for the occasion. Thurs
day, especially, was adapted to the ceremo-
mes that flied it f. I'm morn to dusty eve; the
clouds that threa .ened rain bringing only a
| summer sun.
Wednesday was taken up with the coming
of the soldiers and their comfortable estab-
lishment in camp. The Rutland fair g ornds
where the reunion was held and which were
dubbed Camp Doubleday in honor of the
occasion and brave general, are situated
about mile south of Rutland depot. En-
tering them at the gate on the east at the
corne: nearest the village. to the left were
found the headquarters of Gen. Veazey and
his staff. Straight ahead to the west, in the
northwest corner of the Enclosure, was the
main body of tents for the men. Here the
fourth. second and first brgades were en-
canped. The third brigade, that from Rut-
land, Bennington and Addison Counties, were
encamped to the south of General Veasey's
headquarters in the southeast part of the
grounds, and across "Muzzey's Brook"
made famous on Thursday afternoon by the
artillery fgns The third brigade under
command OF Gen. Ripley was the largest IN
camp; next came the fourth under Gen.
Seaver. The first, under Cen. Henry, also
Has tolecably full, leaving the second, com
manded by Cen. Thomas, least in numbers
So small was the number indeed in this last
brigade that on the review Of Thursday it
was consolidated with the fourth.
The fourth br 'gade was last to arrive On
Wednesday, coming by ST ,cial train from
Bellows Falls little after six o'clock
When it had marched in things began to as
slne greatly the aspect of old times, and the
boys began to believe themselves in camp,
but it was the happiest camp ever seen.
Ii, re was no dull care to drive away, no po-
ice duty or guard duty or any other kind of
duty, but host of privileges instead. The
conduct of the troops was on the whole adj
mrable throughout the whole three days and
proved that vast majority of the sons Of Yer
mont whose bravery she glories in, are self
respect ~ citizens. 1t has been stated that
some of those interested feared, when the
pro oosal for a general reunion was made,
that the coming together of 80 many of the
common soldiers without means to enforce
dsc;p lne would result in great disorder rath-
er than IN happy time. Fears of this kind
were soon dssi pated, as those who knew best
the private soldiers of Vermont could have
foretold. No more fears on that score, gen.
tlemen. All examples of sobriety and good
behavior on the part of the officers, the COM
mon soldiers are not only prepared to " see,
but '' to 60 then better" So it is now and
go it always was.
All Wednesday evening and far into the
night there was music in the air; there be-
ing no less than ten bands present Queen
City, Sherman of Winooski, Bristol, Ben
ningtOn, Ludlow, Brattl9boro, Woodstock,
Bradford, West Randolph and Northfeld
rne solitary piece of artillery did good ser
vice too in waking the echoes; it being IN
der the charge of one of the Berlin boys who
live3 away out in Iowa in these times OF
pea;e.-Leut. W. Burton Perrin, 70 'merly
of the third battery. There Was little sleep
10 camp that night; songs and stories
abounding until an early hour. By many,
the evening was pleasantly spent at the re-
cept.on given to Governor Converse, at Center
Rutland, by Charles Clement Esq, which
was very pleasant affair.
Thu sday morning the clouds shut out
sun but gave no lain. The forenoon was &C.
cupied in preparing for the event of the day,
the review which was to take place at .wo
O'Clock. At this til the several brigades
were drawn up in order south of the grand
stand and Gen. Converse attended by his
staff, and Gen Veazey and staff rode down
the line. The number of men in line weq 10
the naighborhood of twelve hundred, and as
FRED to be lookers-on. we are inclined to
think that during the three days there we're
about eighteen hundred old soldiers who
came together.
In the ranks We were pleased to notice
Gen. Thomas, Gen. Pitkin, Capt Livingston
and others. The commander of the company
in which General Thomas was, urged him
to acceps command Of it, s,ying it was hardly
the thing for lieutenant to command brig
adler; but the ofer was -efused, the general
insisting that he was &C as good as any of y GU
now" The reviewing officers galloping
donn the line did the thing as it was wont
to be done in times of old. The men, of
course. were in all manner of hats, coats and
boots and presented far from a uni eorm ap-
pea ance. The marching was better than
might have been expected from the number
OF bands playing at the same time and tend
ms to throw out of step the most thorough
paced veteran.
After the review by the officers The division
was broken into companies, facing to the
east, and the head of the column turning to
the left was masssd north OF the grand stand
upon the trotting course of the grounds
Back of them the seats were filed with an
immense audience of the people of Rutland
and vicinity, with large number from more
distant parts of the State.
When thus formed, Gen. Devens was in.
troduced amid cheers and delivered an ad
dress, report of which we subjoin, taken
from the Rutland Herald:
FeliOto Soldiers and Fello,o Citizens
rejoice and congratulate you that you are
able to come together on this day, in this
beautiful, fertile field, and that YOU are able
to bring together SO noble and true-hearted