St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-09-14


pie in attendance, The weather was
the finest of the week, and the number
of people present is variously estimated
at from five to eight thousand. The
governor with some of the members
of his staff and other distinguished
Vermonters made their appearance on
the ground early in the morning and
their arrival was recognized by salute
from the Fuller battery. During the
forenoon the battery visited st. Johns
bury and paradcd on Main street, and
gave the stay-at-home citizens an op-
portunitv to see the instruments of
destruction. an unfortunate illustration
of which was given later in the day.
In addition to the distinguished
gentlemen elsewhere mentioned,
among the visitors to the camp were
II. c. Sherman, United States mill
tary telegraph operator, and Brigadier
General J. \. Patterson, Majors George
Cook. y. II. Ranlett and F. ;. Hall
and Lieutenant Buxton of the New
Hampshire militia. Among the visitors
was the widow of Colonel A. w. Pres
ton. Colonel Preston enlisted the men
for Company ID, First Vermont cavalry,
around his home in Danville, and was
chosen captain in September, lSGl.
He was promoted for gallant conduct
to hc lieutenant colonclf i'll 1852, and
received a severe wound that year. AT
the time of his death, which occurred
at the battle of Cold Harbor, June 3,
1864, hc held the position of colonel of
the First Vermont cavalry. Colonel
Grccnlcaf introduced a new drill, which
lac termed a street riot drill, probably
derived from the Ely campaign.
THE SHAM FIGHT
opened at two o'clock in the afternoon.
The Estcy guard of Brattlchoro and
the Green Mountain Boys of Bmrling-
ton were dcputizcd to act as the enemy,
and were under the command of Lieut.
Colonel j. j. Estcy of Brattleboro, who
arrived in camp on Wednesday after
noon from his European "trip. They
took position on the heights overlook
ing the camp from the west, and the
attacking troops consisted of the re
naming nine companies under com
mand of Colonel Grcenleaf, and were
supported 10y the Fuller battery. We
dent of the journal describe the battle
in his peculiarly graphic style
''Skirmishcrs were deployed by both
armies ut 2.3O p. M, and the battle of
the Passumpsic opened with desultory
firing. a detachment of five compa-
MES from the left wing of the army
made a flank movement against the
enemy, and both divisions of the at
lacking party scaled the heights i'll the
face of heavy discharge of musketry.
The firing became lively, and soon the
attacking parties, by IA vigorous on
slaught, drove the enemy back ut the
point of the bayonet, and captured the
entire body of rebels amid cheers"
An accident occurred during the firing
of the Fuller battery, which threw Il
feeling of gloom over the whole camp.
BY the premature discharge of one of
the guns, Gunner Andrew Kezer had
his right arm shattered below the ell
bow. He was in the act of loading the
gun, using the ramrOd, and the man ut
the rear of the gun allowed the vent
hole to become uncovered, by reason
of which the discharge of the gun i'm
mediately followed. The wounded
man was cared for by Surgeon 0. w.
Peck, DIR. George Nichols and other
surgeons in camp. Kezer's arm was
amputated above the elbow that even
ing 10y Surgeon Peck, assisted by Sur
geon Bruce of the battery and DIR. Bull
lard of st. Johnsbury. He is unmar-
ried, forty-siX years of age, and was an
artilleryman in the rebellion, serving
through the war in the Third regiment
The Brattleboro PhrniX says that he is
"a good, faithful, honest fellow, whom
his Brattleboro friends will not permit
to want for the necessaries of life
should he recover from his injury"
About four hundred and thirty dollars
were raised for him on the ground on
Friday. among the regiment and the
state and military officials, and it is
expected that the amount will be in
creased to five hundred dollars. Such
was the gloom produced by the acct
dent that the people felt that they had
seen enough of the muster for one day,
aud they commenced to take their de
parture as soon as the sad fact was as
certained and the battle came to IL
close.
REUNION OF THE EIGHTH REGIMENT.
The seventh reunion of the Eighth
regiment was held at the st. JOhnsbury
house on Thursday afternoon. over one
hundred veterans being present, Gen.
Stephen Thomas presiding. Among
those present were General Stephen
Thomas and Colonies John b. Mead
and \. b. Franklin, Major (now Gov
ernorl John l.. Barstow, Quartermaster
Fred. +. Smith and VIM. H. Gilmore,
Captains George n. Carpenter, Moses
Mcfarland, l.. VI. Hutchinson, John L.
Bisbee and Lieutenants ii. +. Hill, B.
f. Morse and kilburn Day and Sur
geon O. +. Ross General Thomas has
been president since the organization
of the association, and he was unani-
mnmsIN re-rlerteh Muses. NJ McEnrinnl