Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-09-08
NafInraI Guard Of Vermont.
-uEIR CENTENNIAL MUSTER IN CAMP !. Ghh-
CORY SMITH, AT ST. ALBANs, AUGUST zSih
TO SPINNER 2ND, 1876.

was al Independent militia man, and every
/ log cabin IVES an ermory. The rude ou'
trusty flint lock and powder horn were his
equipment, and the brown leather ana
/ bomespun blue, his uniform the red man
ard the red coat, were his targets, and the
names Of Allen, Warner and Stark were
sYnouomous with liberty, justice and night.
! One hundred years has changed the status
Of the militia as it has everything else
From 1856 TO the breaking ont Of the re-
be!lion, there were four regiments Of MILL
Tia in Vermont This was the food
wood" era. We pass over the war period
AID find that at the close Of 1865 the State
had 10 regiments, and that up to le0s'
the number had been gradually reduced
until at that date there were but three reg
iments often companies each ,ore eschfor the
northern, central and southern portions OF
the State, Col 7. 5. Peck, commanding the
First. Col. j. ;. Upper, the Second. anu
/ Col. George ". Warren, the Third Reg
imout This number was still further re
1ueed 10 IS-2, when the Legislature CT
the state passed bill disbanding all bat
taelyo Of the thirty-siz companies, when
were selected according to their merits and
proficiency in drill. These were reorgan-
iz5d into one regiment, and called the First
7 Regiment National Guard of Vermont, and
/ Co. 7. : Peck. Of Burlington. IVES ap-
pointed Commander. Col. Peck Is 8 veteran
/ in the service. and his selection IS Com
marder was verv gratifying TO the regl-
ment. lie j. & strict discIplinarisn, and
tie interest he takes II the boys i fully re
c'procgted hy them We have been pres
eut a. every annual muster Of the regiment
si-ce rs organization in 1872. and as a
member of Company B. Barlow Grays,
The writer participated in the first muster.
which was at Essex. il 1873, and N the
second 20 burlington. n 1874. The
third one was he'd at Brattleboro,
u August, uf Jas; year. The fourth
a=l Ceutelrial muster wgs held al
s.. A.haa-. during the FIVE days from
. august 13.l 60 September 3 inclusive. 1t
is some ten years since a military encamp-
me1t has been established N tbs place. and
the appearance + twelve companies, com
rri-.nr COO soldiers. N or midst. recalls
the time when the PARK was tented field.
and 81. Adams constituted military post
. If the Northern frontier. TIE situation Of
tie muster ground is very pleasant. Ii is
about one nile north If th5 park, On the
la-d of Il. p Seymour. and slopes gradual y
toward LAKE. Champ.ain. wh.ca il over
looks. Tie e1caupmcut is named aiilr
T VEN a-t-- huuare5 War Governor, j. Greg
o-y smith. Tie ;znt- are c5mmolio--
VA one-. ana are aid ont with company
streets running East and West, tie Con-
/ rany eli a-s- q l4-tei 5-iag g the Eastward
OF tie streets. and the ra=-neu.2l ct5cars 10
the front Of the latter.
The regiment break camp tli- Saturday
morning. after five days Of most pleasant
weather. euj lya5le associations. ana sati--
factory results. To >ay that this has been
/ the be-t ul.~,-r lie regiment has ever had.
is bur saying Wa. is generally thought
among ot-e-7er-. OF those who have been
Cd. on t---" al Camp i. Gregory Smith.
/ We shall only 4,teupta hr.atr-7iew Of the
/ f7o day -5o- If exercises Of the tr3
5re-- p11ai-- ana r-7-ew-. On Wednesday
I and Thursday t7 q =. Peek a-d ez-GJy-
smith. W ;re-s respective day.. We Wi
say u.tc-.s IF them. but Of al the ba;ta
ion. a15 Company drills 41- fed move
mems. a- We have s4ll f--;. la~, ana Ell
the tlu1 ..4e 1s-s.s.- g. she contrary
NOW .aa5i1-. ;4a, Il l-.- and ii-c.-
pine tas regiment never appeared 50 WEI
a. 1t this muster. Tie several c5mpauils
G through the mlaaa. Of arms II a manner
TIA. indicates through drilling. While We
dislike 20 make comparisons. u was notice
abe ,ha, ilo Ransom Guards showed 6 per
iec1o1 10. 5-L which surpassed al the
other. The key Guards, Barlow Gray,
s-l Others showed the results Of careful
discipline. Ice whole exercise was hand
s5ms.Y per. .-1ad, and considering tie short
tins which some %. tie companies have
had fl ----1c, w, Q1.,e remarkable
I1-s has been effected only by the vo.un-
tar service AID la.tlia- Attendance T.
dr.. 81 tie Individual members Of the reg
ime1,. md /. ever there Is a state thai
should encourage Ler militia, and p.oy-l.
fl- them IN liberal and handsome man
ne-. Vermont is that STATE. ana the First
Regiment National Glard ara tas militia.
I-l Bl-.51 Grays-C5npluy B-named q r
ter Hon. Brady Barlow. Of s.. Adams,
are deserving Of special mention at this
time. They were one Of the first compau-
les 90 0rsl1.le under the new militia law.
enacted 10 tie Fall o. Isl, Captain NJ. B.
Carpenter 5 commission being dated May
235, l-7.. tie First Lie1teaan, being " o.
Glider, d veteran Captain Of the late VIZ.
ana the Second Lieutenant, F. l. Roberts
Ias Company have vepat4-.on,w which they
acquired soon st-e- they had been
organ.z-5, hr being finely Drilled.
and to-day they stand in the front
rank 10y proficiency II the tactics
among the c3mpllies OF the eegi meut.
We can testify in the hssrtiest manner 10
the superior rau5us dispensed from the mes
tents Of the Ransom AMI E-tey Guards three
times daily during the muster. Al the sub
staati-ls fife with many Of it. luzuries
were On the bill Of fare Of these companies.
anu the friends Of the boys who part5ok Of
thsir bounty Will lot soon forget their hos
p.taiue-.
TIE SHAN BATTLE
Al clock the regiment prepared Tor
the coming battle Dressed in their fatigue