Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-08-29


ciety of the Eighth Vermont Regiment took
place at the Pavilion, Montpelier, Thursday
evening, August 2lst. The business meet
Ing was held at O'Clock. In the temporary
absence of the president, Gen. Thomas, Vice
President Col. j. r. Mead was called to the
chair. The records of the previous meetings
at Brattcboro and Bennington were read and
| approved The matter of the preparation Of
Il history of the regiment was taken up, and
after discussion, it was voted that the com
mittee on history be instructed to collect
the materials for history of the regiment
and To furnish the same TO the State Military
History. The following officers were elected
for tho ensuing two wears:
PrsSiicn'-Ge Stephen Thomas
Iics- s-iIcsjd,nts-Sergeani II. h. Brown, Lieuten-
ant II. W. Downs.
Secretary and Treasurer Surgeon g. VI. Ferrin.
EItcWt.fe Co,H"tic@-Major J. L. Barstow, Capt.
W. H. Gilmore capt. Moses Mcfarland
Chdgidih-tul. j. Il. Mead.
The time and place Of the next meeting, in
1881, were hy vote left to the Executive
Committee.
At 10 O'Clock the Society sat down to
THE SUFFER-
in The large dining hall of the Pavilion
Some seventy members of the regiment were
present, together with Il number of invited
guests. Ten. Thomas presided, and after an
excellent supper had received due attention,
called ON the Toastmaster, Major }. l..
Barslow, 10 present the regular toasts, which
were rs follows:
l. one O'd CaDiAa.uicr, COL. Sts!Le,, TAoDias.
In introducing this toast Major Barstow
slid that Colonel Thomas was in COM
mand Of the Eighth for over three
years and that in the entire army
as he believed, there WAS but 4 single
| ease in which one colonel had commanded
one and the same regiment for longer peri
od. What sort of commander he was, they
all knew. When danger was To bc met lac
led the way, and when in camp he cared for
his men with II fidelity shown by the fact
thai, though lis service was in an unhealthy
and malarial region, the Eighth suffered less
loss ly sickness than any regiment that left
'''' '''' "'i'' ih''''''S WAS i'''''''i''''''''
for promotion hy every brigade commander
under whom he served hut his promotion
was for years prevented by the personal in
liuencc of Vermont member OF Congress.
Gen. Thomas responded with much feel
ing. Time. he said, only deepcncd his love
for the men Of his old regiment. The ser
vice of the Eighth was somewhat Isolated,
and perhaps the regard Of the people "f
the STATE was somewhat alirnatrd from
it hut it did its duty glOriuusly.
1t never fiinchcd in any peril But II
single man in it ever showed cowardicr As
To himself, Major Barstow had given him too
much praise. He had everything To learn as
a military man when he took command ot
the Eighth and the regiment made HIM all
he was. lie recalled some "reminiscences "i
the service and "i his departure from 'hr
regim cnt, and urged the members oi the So
cicty to keep up their organization, mainian
these reunions, and do their part as citizens
To pcrpetmlr the supremacy of the princi-
pies for which they fought. He closed with
AN earnest God bless YOU all"
.. U@f'r's Oil B'.gdi'.
tluartcrmaSltr f. f. smith VII" served
for time on Gen. WcltieIs stall sald that
he called On Gen. W,li2el recently ana l"uhd
him well and retaining lively remembrance
ot and interest III the troops lhat serve"
under hln. Alludlng IN terms "l hIgh
Priis. in Gen. Thomas, Major smith told
a good story "i him When the regiment was