The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-09-12
Militia in Camp.


farm now owned by Judge Jonathan Ross of
the supreme court. It IL green, level meadow,
bounded on the easterly side by the winding
river and on the westerly side by the railway.
Fifty years ago the extensive farm buildings
on the highway formed tavern OF the period,
and in the spacious yard and stables were mar
shaled for rest and refreshment the teams and
coaches which the iron horse has superseded.
On this same meadow the militamen of half
century ago held their musters The ground
ia peculiarly adapted to the uses of the camp
| and the parade Somewhat more than twenty
| years ago its owner Mr. Bowman Butler, con-
verted this field into a skating park. reducing
the surface to water level, throwing up
| slight terrace around large eliptcal area and
enclosing the whole with high fence. The
waters OF a small brook collected into reser-
voir on the slope of the rising ground westerly
were utilized for flooding the park when Jack
| Frost was in frigid mood. Here the school
children had merry gatherings on holiday after
moons and the young men and maidens of the
| village fllrted and frolicked on the ice around
blazing bonfires during the winter evenings
| II was sport for the skaters but bankruptcy for
the enterprising proprietor, and the meadow re-
verified after year or two Of disastrous finan-
| ca experience to its legitimate purpose. The
bed OF the artificial pond retains its smoothness
| and the barriers which enclosed 1t afford desir-
able points from which to watch the military
| evolutioDs on the parade ground within The
easterly side of this area by the riverside was
occupied by the tents of the infantry, and the
northerly side by the Fuller light battery.
Details from the various companies arrived on
| Monday and put the " canvas city " in shape
for occupancy On Tuesday it was possessed
by the following organizations: Company A,
Rutland, Captain c. c. Kinsman; Company b,
st. Albans Captain II f. Perkins, Company
G, Brandon, Captain L j, Cahee Company D,
st. Johnsbury, Captain A. W. Roberts; Com
pany E, Burlington, Captain W. s. DeCellee;
Company +, Mortified, Captain +. H. Howes;
Company G, Bradford, Captain John H Wat
son; Company II, Montpelier, Captain Ii. w.
Kemp; Company / Brattleboro, Captain G. II.
Bond; Company X, Bennington, Captain G.
w. Evans; independent company, Newport,
J. c. Moulton, captain; Fuller battery, Bratte-
boro, L. X. Fuller, captain. The chief regi-
mental officers were Colonel w. L. Greeneaf
of Winooski,. Lieutenant Colonel J: J. Estey of
Brattleboro, Major A. g. Tenney, of st. Albans
Adjutant M. d. Green of st. Adams, Quarter
master w. Smith of Burlington, Surgeon o.
w. Peck of Winooski, Chaplain Howard F. Hill
of Montpelier, Quartermaster Sergeant Chas
Ii. Fuller Of Montpelier, First Color Sergeant
G. +. Collins of Montpelier The commander
in-chief of this martial gathering, Governor J..
l.. Barstow, was present with his staff, and
among the other military officers of the state
were Brigadier- General L. e. Kingsley, Adu-
tant and Inspector General T. S. Peck and
Quartermaster General Fl X. Ide. The camp
was named in honor of Colonel Preston of the
Vermont cavalry, an officer of distinguished
gallantry, killed in battle and whom Custer is
said to have eulogized as the bravest and best
officer in the arm of the service to which he
belonged Colonel Preston enlisted from Dan
vile, and his funeral, in which walked his
riderless horse bearing the empty saddle and
arms of his dead master, forms one of the men,
orable incidents of the war in the section of the
state where the muster was held. The first
day, Tuesday, to compare things civil to things
military, was very much like the first day
of the fair, devoted to getting settled in
camp and the preparations for the active
business Of the following days dress
parade closed the day and the first evening
was spent in social enjoyments and in frater-
nal greetings. On Wednesday battalion drill
occupied the time, and on Thursday, in addi-
ton to the daily routine, a sham fight was ar
ranged to develop the effectiveness OF the mil
itary instruction. The affair was progressing
very satisfactorily, the Fuller battery partici.
pating, till, in the course of the engagement, a
taste of the actual incidents Of battle, not
| down on the programme, was experienced
Andrew keiser, a gunner, while loading his
piece, suffered the loss of his right arm by a
. premature discharge This painful occurrence
brought the mock battle to summary close
and threw cloud of sadness over what had
! been, up to this point an exceptionally sue.
cessful and satisfactory day The wounded
man was attended by Surgeon Peck who am
, putated the mutilated limb Just above the el.
. bow. This circumstance developed the gener.
GUS instincts of the men and officers of the
{ battery and regiment by whom about $500
|
r He is bachelor, has been many years mem.
Der of this battery, and served four years iu
the late war. Colonies Estey and Fuller are
l fortunate in being in a position to give the
6 man employment suited to his MANNED condi
tion and the generosity and tenderness o.
0 these gentlemen is a guaranty that, in so far a.
O it is possible, compensation will be made fol
the loss OF his good right arm" Five or six
g thousand people were in attendance this day
Thursday evening" at his residence in St
10 | IOhnahurv uilaUp (nlnnal u n
J.. the governors staff, gave His Exceency
pleasant reception which was largely attended
by officers of the militia, by the civil officers o
Y the state government and by citizens of thu
. village and from all parts of the state. Tht
chief incident of Fridays proceedings was tht
Y review by the governor, which was witnessed
also by large number OF people. In til,
l. opinion of impartial observers, competent tt
Il judge OF such matters, the proficiency in mil
itary tactics and movements acquired by th
n body of militia is worthy Of high praise. Mel
k and officers have right to feel the satisfaction
which comes from the consciousness of al
8 earnest effort to do their duty in the encomi
3 ums bestowed upon them by the soldiers in thu
war of the rebellion who were present, anC
who have no more interest in Vermont troop
b than in any other. The festivities of this occa
sion closed Friday night with banquet anC
O campfire on the camp-ground, the affair o
v Post Chamberlain, Grand Army of the Re
; public, of ST. JohnsbuTy. 1t was attended b,
q veterans from all sections of the state
n Speeches, music and stories, "reminiscences o
- the camp, the march and the battle, consume,
r the swiftly passing hours till midnight. Tn
, gratifying feature of the muster was the alb
y sence of drunkenness and rowdyism. Mucl
l. innocent display Of animal spirits there was
"a and in their tents and company streets the rol
" licking song and burst of merriment, bu
d through it all the boys showed that they wer
a men and knew and respected the boundary be
= tween license and social enjoyment. Their
n was present a large number OF Representative
"a men from all quarters of the state, DESTROYS ap
~ parently, of knowing from personal nspectio
l. the degree Of success attained by Vermont's e
~ forts to sustain the nucleus of military organ
y ization, and to gain the information whic
10 should enable them to consider and decide in
10 diligently the question of its future status O
'' maintenance wnen that question should com
1t up. 1t is not believed that any citizen who al
tended this muster would vote for the disbanC
ing of the militia