Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-06-26
Bunker Hills Centennial.
BosroN, JUNE 18th, 1875,

To-day the grandest jubilee which
New England or America has yet
celebrated has been witnessed by al
most numberless thousands under the
most suspicious circumstances. 1t
has been one of those perfect June
days so seldom seen in this latitude,
and the vast concourse was worthy of
the day and the occasion. The city
of Boston stands higher to-day in the
heart of the nation than ever before.
Its lioerality has been severely taxed
in caring for the throngs of invited
guests. Its purse has opened freely
TO make it grand pageant, all in
good taste and beautiful. No one
pen, or paper, can begin to describe
all the good things that filed every
moment of the day, for Boston has
worked long and we'll to make the
celebration q success. The decora-
tions were vast and gorgeous, extend
ing many miles, and the object was
worthy. One hundred years ago to-
day the nation was In a birth strug-
gle. Either liberty or oppression was
to hold sway over our national do
main. Our sturdy fathers watered
the tree of liberty with their life
blood, and to-day thousands of their
children visit the spot where small
number Of determined men-not sold
iers-within a little embankment
hastily thrown up, bravely faced
death and laid low over a thousand of
the British troops and thus caused
them to consider the power and de-
termination of the rebels, as the Brit.
ish styled them. Some of the old re-
doubt can still be seen and its whole
position was marked by sign boards,
and tears were dropped on the stone
that indicates the place where that
good old eloquent hero, Warren, fell.
And lift so be that the dead, like
ministering angels, take knowledge
of the acts Of the living, how peculiar
ly appropriate is to-day's offering of
gratitude to the fathers and mothers,
who, though suffering, laid the found
alton of our national virtue and great
ness.
But to give short outline of the
events that have eliminated to-day, l
viii speak of yesterday, which was
entirely devoted to the reception of
incoming guests, Masonic, military
and benevolent bodies from the New
England, Middle and Southern states.
All through the whole day it was
one complete 'ovation. In the after
noon the Maryland Fifth regiment
marched to Oharlestown, headed by
the Marine Band, of Washington,
and proceeded to Winthrop Square,
where they formed ia a hollow square
about the monument, which they pro-
ceeded TO decorate witt, a beautiful
shield made of pink and white carl1a-
lions, beautifully trimmed, over which
was the inscription, "Maryland's
Tribute to the Dead'', the w&ole work
costing $3.50.
1t will be borne in mind that the
first soldiers that fell in the rebellion
were troops from Charlestewn which
were shot in Baltimore while passing
through. The monument was erected
TO commemorate the hoys that fell in
Baltimore, which is the home of the
Fifth regiment. That goes a long
way toward burying "the Ratchet"
and bringing oneness and love to
:again reign in our one country.
Numerous bodies of Masons, from
various parts of the United States,
dressed in their beautiful and costly
uniforms, paraded the streets, and
strains of the finest music, from the
best bands i'm the country were con-
tinually floating in the air, completely
drowning the roar and crash of the
city.
Another feature was the dress
parade of the Maryland Fifth at 4
o'clock, p. NJ, on portion of the
common which was roped off by
policemen, and flag was presented
to them in thrilling and patriotic
speech by Gen. Banks. The night
spread her mantle beautifully over q
sleepless city, for "there was hurrying
to and fro" and all expectation and
preparation for the morrow.
On the morning of the 18th, at the
first CLEAN Of day, the streets began
to gil with people. At sunrise the
battery in the Navy Yard, and on all
eminences surrounding Boston, can
non sent forth their thunders, which