Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-06-23
Army Of the Potomac Reunion.

lghtful rural hamlet" by lifting n lowering
front on streets and buildings abaze with buni-
ing, but cloudless summer day tempered to that
delightful degree of ETHEREAL mildness" that
renders sunny June day in Vermont so enjoy
able was vouchsafed the Burlingtonians and their
distinguished guests. Wednesday was the great
day of the meeting On that day the city was
thronged with people from the towns and country
lying along the lines of railway that lead into it.
Among the distinguished guests were Lieutenant
General =. H. Sheridan, Generals Miles, Sickles,
Socum, McMahon Forsyth Franklin and large
number of officers of lower rank, whose names
used to be familiar to the public ear in the event
full days OF the great rebellion. Vermont was
represented by Governor Proctor, the gallant col
onel of the fifteenth Vermont regiment, by Cen
eral 2. z. Ptkin, General Wells, General Grout,
Colonel veazey Colonel Farnham, Colonel Tracy,
War-Governor Hobrook and long list of others
well known in civil and military life. The great
feature of the day to the general public was the
procession, which was nearly mile in length.
The composition of the pageant was the same as
on similar occasions, a medley Of civic and mill
tary organizations, veteran associations and bands
of music, distinguished guests and citizens in
carriages, all under the efficient marshaship Of
General William Wells The notables in the pro-
cesson, especially General Sheridan, were the OBJ
jects of enthusiastic ovations from the populace.
At the close of the march the column of veterans
was reviewed by General Sheridan and each dis
tingushed officer was warmly cheered After the
review the public exercises in Howard Opera
House were held. General Sickes called the
society to order and prayer was offered by Chap
lain Brastow OF the twelfth Vermont regiment
Mayor Hatch had detailed the Hon. Daniel Rob
erts to do spokesman duty, and that gentleman in
an address eloquent with the language of genuine
hospitality, and of grateful devout euogy OF the
deeds and character OF the martial guests, well
coined the remnants of the society of the Army
of the Potomac to Burlington. General Sickles
made happy response on behalf of the society.
He alluded feicitously to the men and facts con-
nected with Vermont's revolutionary record and
spoke in highly euogistic terms of the part YER
mont troops had borne in the war of the rebellion,
adding the following incident from his own ex-
psrience:
to p Va On ny WAY S b s 81 &
road considerable body OF evidently the guard OF
SsGe Of Vermont ' Troops snSa 70 Su army S sSfp
S sna a9and l BY n thou ne trains
and ordered stannard to select regiment guard the
handsome entertainment there A. it was hot July day
and the Vermont boy; were loungins comfortably in
pleasant feared the order would be we'll
ceved but rode heard cheer after cheer from
who had seen No fs6iins and whose time wSs about espir
ng and who then welcomed an order TO move into battle
part in fight The shout revealed the character Of the
menthe character they have borne from MS to this time
AS always brave and ready to their country.
lengthy address by Hon Luther R. Marsh Of
New York followed, The exordium of his speech
aud A..
following extract:
Where better thanwhere else so well asn the Green
from their homes of peace-homes earned by their
from north, from southland meet for rejoicing and
gratulaton burnh the chain Friendships 70 recall
associations OF hardship and combat To the bonds OF
am and 70 eternal fealty the ALTAR freedom?
AVIAN Stewart Of NeW YORK wRea peaSns Tor human
rights before joint committee of your legislature in 1885
cloud OF war burst the countryve Vermont the nrst
the conedeaey amidst and tempesis which lowered
upon he pifth Se she was horn perfect IN AL her limbs
pendence wa- her noble sire. Her mountains would have
ea s pItn al me master horn and refused an echo
covered this beautiful land was not removed by genera
The solid beech the towering maple the hated ssive
hemock the cloud-propng pine-the Anakim OF the
mont and made the earth iremble in their dying groans
by the funeral pyres of these forest giants who high
priest who presided at the sacrifice? The sus-burn
hsrdknucked freeman of Vermont stood in his sombeT
linen rock-hs sacerdota robe-and performed the duty"
The early history of Vermont was reviewed at
some length, the speaker dwelling with especial
interest on the battle of Bennington which he was
fully persuaded would be ranked in history among
the decisive battles of the world. 1t placed Bur-
goyne where he could neither advance nor retreat.
Saratoga was the child of Stark; it was the turn
ing point in struggle; it was the first flash of
oil - Al
revolution. The speaker drew graphic picture
of the common glory in men and deeds, in peace
and war, in national development Of material re-
sources and progress in literature art and science,
with which we were rapidly rounding our first
century of existence and cited the occurrence of
the rebellion at that time the inevitable result
of the conflict that is always going on between the
forces OF good and evil, an antagonsm that is the
normal state of nature of which man, the micro
cosm of creation, is the completest illustration.
Opposite forces, representing good and evil, are
sure to attack AS positive and negative electrici-
ties. The mighty factor of war, in certain con-
tingencies, alone can decide the contest. There
are occasions when ian appeal to arms and the
| God OF hosts Is all that is left u.s." And so
through the red sea of the war OF the rebellion
the republic was obliged to march to preserve
what the war Of the revolution had created. A
hearty tribute was paid to the navy, both for its
brilliant exploits before and during the war OF the
rebellion. Perrys brilliant victory on Lake Erie
and MacDonough's gallant fight on the neighbor-
ing waters Of Lake Champlain were felicitously
alluded to. Farragut led the splendid list of naval
heroes that co-operated with the generals Of our
armies in achieving final and lasting overthrow
of the rebellion. To his memory the orator paid
an eloquent tribute. The character Of our army
was vindicated as defensive and not an aggres-
sive organization, exciting no cause of fear, as
was shown by the memorable scenes attending
the close of the war, when our vast army was alb
sorbed into civil life and found ample employment