Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-07-17

'ho9 p"t W NurNlcH university lur tne
proud record of the state on the battle
fields of the republic. When the desc.
lating storm of war came sweeping up
from the southern horizon, threatening
to destroy the union of states, it awoke
a patriotic spirit in the hearts of Ver.
monters equal to that which ragged in the
bosom of Allen when he Numbered forth
the esummonsof surrender from the para.
pets of Ticonderoga but that spirit re-
! qnired direction and leadership, and for
tunately for the country aud to the glory
of Norwich University that leadership
was found to large extent in her gall
liant sons. A diploma from this Univer-
slty was equivalent to commission, for
1t Immediately secured a commission.
The graduates of this college were here
and there all through the land, and the
clash of arms on the batllements of Sum-
ter quickly brought them to the front.
Her roll of honor contains maior-gen-
erals, Z brigadiergenerals, 27 colonels,
"a lieutenantco onels, Is majors, 70 cap
tains, 8 adjutants, 81 lieutenants, 5 sur-
| geons, | chaplain. La the marine SER
vice, there we're FIVE lieutenauts and one
captain, and in the naval service proper,
there were six officers. The present reg
ular army contains twenty-nine former
cadets OF Norwich University. Iu the
reduction of the army, since the war, no
graduate of this school went out of SER
vice, and none have ever been court
marshalled, dismissed, or requested to re.
sign. OF the above number, who we're
in the army during the war, fifteen are
known to have been killed, or died of
wounds received in battle, and twenty
nine wounded. Among those killed was
Brig. g.-Gen. Lander, who was formerly
employed by the government to survey
one of the proposed railroad routes to
the Pacific. Another was Gen. Ransom.
son OF the Col. Ransom, who was slain
at Chepultepec, and former president
of this university. At Shiloh, his for
mer roommate at Norwich, commanded
the rebel regiment in Ransom's front,
and both fell badly wounded. After
being wounded in five different battles,
Ransom was finally killed in the Red
river campaign, and his mother received
a major generals commission from Presi
dent Lincoln, made out for her son, after
his death, as a public token of the es-
teen in which he was held. There were
but two Norwich University men in the
Southern army, but they were men of
high rank and distinction The first
Vermont blood known to have been shed
in the war, was that of Robert Z. Hitch
cock of Shoreham, graduate of this
college in the class of 1859, who com
manded company of United States
marines at the first battle of Boil Run,
and was instantly killed, while gallant
ly leading the company in charge.
At the breaking out of the war, the
under graduates of Norwich were EN-.
! ployed, not only throughout the state in
drilling regiments and companies, but
elsewhere and in other colleges, at Dart
mouth, Bowdoin and WatervilIe. On q
company of thirty cadets, with six ty
Dartmouth students, who had been drill
ed by the cadets, went out in the three
months service for the state of Rhode
Island. Out of the whole number of the
graduates of Norwich who entered the
army, there Is but one known to have
been allowed to serve in the rank and
| file. This alma mater had fitted them
for commanders, and the country was
quick to discover their qualifications.
Among the distinguished officers of near
ly every one of the loyal states, may be
found the sons of Norwich University.
The story of no campaign of the war
would be complete without telling of
their bravery and achievements. Their
blood is on every battlefield. Their
glory is recorded on every page of the
wars history.
But need not detail the fame of Nor
wich University as it exists in the proud
record of her gallant sons. The test of
sacred writ, "By their fruits ye shall
know them" is the severe but Just test
which this university may safely ask to
be applied to herself. With her grand
record and noble results, with her high
standard of scholarship and discipline,
with her facilities for affording a broad
and correct culture, she is entitled to
liberal and generous patronage. And
when we remember how largely Yer
mont owes her military reputation to th is
college, not only in the skill and achieve
ments of her sons educated here, but in
directly in the skill aud achievements of
all others, and they are many who hail
Norwich University as their alma mater.
we must concede that she is entitled to
more than patronage she is entitled to