Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-06-25
FROM BURLINGTON
Reunion Of the Society Of the Army OF
the Potomac,

BURLINGTON, W., June 1G, 1880.
The surviving officers of that grand body
of men come together yearly to renew old
acquaintance and re-kindle their love for
each other, and swear new allegiance to the
old flag. On the evening previous to this
grand gathering the writer in company with
the Governor and staff entered the beautiful
CITY, whose sloping streets and beautiful res
licences were filed with eager throngs to bid
welcome to their guests. battalion from
the First Regiment W. N G. did escort duty,
and right royal welcome was awarded to ALL
Wednesday morning the procession was
formed, marching through the principal
streets. giving all good opportunity to see
the great men who fought our battles, won
the victory of Gettysburg and compelled the
surrender of Lee at Appomattox. After the
procession the Howard opera house was filed
and a capital speech of welcome was made by
Mr.. Roberts, distinguished resident of the
city Gen Sickles, supported on his crutches
responded in words such as he only can ut
ter, clear, ringing and cordial. Who can ever
forget the soul-stirring bugle calls from every
corner of the house. In the far of recesses of
the ante-rooms, and from behind the scenery?
all the old familiar cdlLs from reveille to
tattoo, were sounded, and echoed back from
hidden corners until that vast audience could
no longer contain itself; cheer upon cheer
went up, the old soldiers became boys again,
the ladies waved their dainty handkerchiefs,
fans and parasols, the men mounted the seats
and flung out the flags. Such enthusiasm
M nnA ;,N
reigned, the literary exercises began.
joaquin Miller, whose eccentricities and
genius have brought him fame, delivered an
original poem entitled Beyond the river"
bringing into bold relief the reunion of the
blue and the gray As a literary production
it was one of his best efforts As to senti-
ment it is too early to speak. 1t was in ad-
vance of the times, meeting much silent and
some outspoken criticism, with a good deal
of commentator. Mr.. Marsh, of New York,
was tbe orator of the occasion, and well did
he acquit himself. For two long hours he
held the vast audience spellbound, his princi-
| pal idea being the calculation of the fact that
the eliminating point in our revolutionary
struggle was at Bennington and the prelude
to the events of Saratoga. Taking this well
maintained subject through all its inception
and completion, and the struggle of Yer
mont's sturdy children for freedom, he car
ried us down to the rebellion. With beauti-
full sentences he wove the history Of the army
of the Potomac and the grand old Sixth
CORDS. Upon the stage sat Sheridan, the he
70 of Winchester. Cool and unmoved during
great numbers of calls fr ON the soldiers, he
was like that other silent man on horseback
silent and unconcerned, looking ike n tiger
ready for the fray.
In the evening the ban quet at the city hall
was successful in all its appointments, and
crowded with guests, while the galleries were
! filed with living garlands of the beauty of
our State. Gen. Sickles presided at the cen
tire table, introducing Gov. Proctor, who re-
sponded to the toast of our commonwealth
Senator Edmunds responded on behalf of
Congress, Sheridan spoke of the army and
nav " Slocum claimed for the old Sixth corps
the nucleus of the Potomac army, which he
said was formed around his old division, and
that around the old Vermont brigade. Nc
Quade, Mcintosh, Mcmahon and others made
ringing speeches. Gen. Miles, the greatest
marked attention. He is an orator whose
tongue flashes with the sple ndor of his sword
and makes the cheek kinde with enthusiasm.
After the banquet when cigars had been
lighted Sheridan, Slocum, McQuade, McIn-
tosh and Hooker presided at a bummers
feast. Many were the fun ny things said and
done. McQuade issued the general orders of
Cornell on civil service reform, of Conkling
on surrender, and Tilden on replacing the
old ordnance with a new barrel Finally, as
the wee sma hours crept along, the gather
ing of the notables became thing of the
past Homes were sought and trains began
carrying their living freight to other places.
The day was a busy one of leave-taking and
good-byeS. Long will Burlington remember
this gathering. The boys in blue leave
with expressions of great kindness to ALL