Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-08-10

THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CELEBRATION
APPROACHING COMPLETION.
Under the superintendent of Maj. A. Il.
Valentine and associates, the executive COM
mittee, the arrangements for the coming
centennial of the 18th aud 10th of August
are fast approaching completion. The
grounds are admirable Tho Centennial
camp, a fair ground field. some 50 acres in
extent, stretches from the road On the east
near the railroad crossing, toward Mount
Anthony west. The ground is fine, turf,
tree from all Irregularities of surface, and |
with just slope enough down from the crest
to fit it perfectly for service as parade
ground ard t,nting place fc- the militia and
veteran volunteers. Two large springs
furnish an abundant supply of water
Banquet, Grafton and sleeping tents of large
dimensions have been erected. The rear
portion of the field is occupied bv the mill
tary and quasi military associations that
are expected II be present On the right
OF the camp, lying towards the east. will be
the tents of the Vermont Veterans Next
to the veterans will be the tents of the visit
ing troops from New lampshire-Amos-
keag Veterans and others, 400 strong. Next
to New Hampshire will camp the Massa-
chuse;ts men, represented by the Boston
Cadets. Directly back of this is the Maine
field. In connection with it is Camp Stark
of the First Regiment. Vermont militia.
nhis rerinart unes IN Damn nm tha I tn
instant and has been asked to do escort
duty for the procession on the 10th instant.
President Hayes and Cabinet will arrive
Tuesday. and on the 10th the whole Cen
tennial procession will pass before him in
review. The point selected for the review
ing stand is on the north side of the main
camping ground, about midway from the
entrance.
In addition to the names already an
nounced, the following distinguished gentle
men haye accepted invitations to the Cen
tennial Vice-President William A. Wheel
er. Wee Admiral Stephen A. Rowan, u. 5.
N; Postmaster General Key, Attorney
General Deyens, Chief Justice Waite, Carl
Schurz, Secretary of the Interior; Gov.
Matthews. of West Virginia and Gov. VIII
liams, of Indiana, will also probably be
present.
The magnitude OF the procession on the
10Th may be gathered from tho following |
order of the procession
Platoon Of Police; A. B. Valentine. Chief
Marshal hand First Regiment National |
Guard of Vermont, Col. Peck commanding. |
marching as escort to His Excelleney Horace |
Fairbanks and staff; Hon. f. j. Phelps. |
President of the Day and Chairman of the |
Centennial Commission President of the |
United States and Cabinet, with special
escort, First Diyision-Marshal command
ing. staff; Veterans Veterans, escorting
First NIce-President Hiland Hall. officers
and members of the Bennington Centennial
Commission Vice-President of the United
States United States Senators and Repre-
sentatives; members of the United States
Judiciary; General of the United States
army; Admiral of the United States navy.
Second division-Marshal commanding;
band; Veterans and escort to the Legisla
tive and Judicial departments OF Vermont;
civic and military organizations of Vermont.
Third divislon-Marshalc commanding; band;
escort to Gov. B. +. Prescott and the Legis-
lature of New Hampshire. Fourth division
Marshal commanding. staff I; band and
escort. The number OF troops in procession,
including veterans and military companies
from New Hampshire, Massachusetts,, Con-
necticut and Vermont. will probably exceed
1900 men. Prof. James W. Churchill, OF
Andover, Mass, reads Mrs. Julia G. r.
Dorr Centennial poem August 18th.
Ten policemen from Troy will do duty at
Bennington during the Centennial. The
police force at Bennington during the cele-
bration will be 200 strong, not including
number Of detectives from Troy, Albany and
elsewhere. One hundred Of the patrolmen
will receive pay, and tie remaining one
hundred will be selected from freeholders
and sworn in as special cous.abes The
constable of Bennington will act as super
intendent.
James II. Walbridge, Commander of tn
Reunion Forces. has Just issued genera
order in which be says:
The reunion forces will 60 into camp on
the l4th day of August. Brigade command
ers Will have their commands in readiness
and move them in season to arrive in Ben
uluRlOn OH tHdt udy. we Will DreHk camp |
on the 18th to return home. The Commander
directs that full reports of all organizations
be made at once and forwarded to these
headquarters, including the name of every
man who will attend, and as far as possible
the name OF his war organization. A COM
pie roster OF the division will be made and
pu blished. so that every man may know
who of his acquaintance are present. By
means OF the reunion organization any per-
son in camp may be easily found. Com
panies not yet organized should do so as
speedily as possible, then forward their re-
ports. Companies should decide whether
they desire to board with the Comnissary
General or cook their own food, and whether
they propose to bring their Iati0ns or buy
them at Bennington, and report at once.
that the necessary preparations can be made.
Probably the most unique and exciting
performance connected with the Centennial
will be the proposed march of the men of
Windbam county across the country 40
miles to Bennington, under the command
of Col. Geo. W. Hooker, of Brattletoro
We have only one fear, and that is that in
crossing some narrow detile in the noun
tsins the soldiers of his command may be
bitten severely by hens and sheep and those
other Doxious animals that so prosecuted
the American soldier in the late war by
their attacks that they were frequently
obliged to kill them in self-defence, and to
teach the busy bee self-restraint by method C
Ically robbing the hives Of their honey. IL
Hooker and his men can avoid honorably r
conflict with the rapacious hen and the
blood-thirsty sheep, they will Doubtless
reach Bennington IN time for the Centen-
NAL. - BtnningtOn banner.