Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-09-14
THE MILITIA MUSTER.
A Review OF the State iIncamD.
ment at st. JOhnsbury.
The Grand Army Campfire and Re
union Of the Eighth,
Reception in Honor OF GOV. nnrsiOw-
other Camp Notes.

nd the town Is crowded with visitors.
I0aded excursion trains have brought thous
'nds of people from every direction during |
he day and the streets and hotels arc over
lowing this evening. The Attendance yes
erday was very large, considering the fact |
hat the camp offered no special attraction rs
)nly the ordinary routine duty was PERFORM
I'd, but ii was nothing as compared with to-
lay. The sham fight came off this after
a on. The Burlington and Bratlcboro COM
pIuies were located among a range of hills
west of the camp and endravorcd to main
lain their position az ,inst the other companies
Who comprised tho assaultiug force the
battery meanwhile shcllug the position OF
the bcsicgcd force from the meadow below.
The plan Of attack and resistance was ad-
mirubly conceived and carried out and the
various evolutlons If the regiment AID bat
terry during tie afternoon ciiciled much
admiration from the large number of specta-
tors, very few OF whom, with the exception
of the veterans present, had ever witnessed
the movements Of a body OF troops.
During the working of the battery ut
about 3 o'clock shocking accident occur
red. by the premature discharge Of unc OF
lllt GuuS, IIlNulc IllNutu ht1sfT Ehl HIS
right arm blown entirely OF AT the elbow.
keyser was assisting IN the loading OF the
gun and was using the rammer when the us.
sistant at the rear Of the gun permitted the
vent hole TO become uncovered aud the DIS
charge OF the piece instantly followed. The
wounded man was at once taken 10 the sur
gcon's quarters near by and his wound WAS
Temporarily dressed, after which lac was taken
TO his quarters aud from thence to one of the
village hotels where he could be more care
fully attended to. The sad afrar caused a
profound sensation throughout The camp and
ended the display as the entire command
was At once recalled TO quarters. This is the
first accident OF consequence thus far during
the muster.
Lieut.. Col. Estey arrived from New York
yesterday afterno n and was cordially wei
coined by the command. a reception IS be-
ing given this evening by Col. and MIS- +.
Fay cite Fletcher iu honor of Ills ctllcncy
Governor Barstow and is attended by the
field and staff officers, distinguished visitors
and many prominent citizens. 1t is the So
cIal event Of the muster. The colonel com.
manGiug the Third New Hampshire regi
ment is present, with several OF his staff, Il.
is also Major Fincke of the Twenty-thirC
| New York, who represents the Army auC
Navy Journal. The major is the guest o.
Col. Grocnlcaf The camp has been unusu.
| ally healthy thus far and Drs. Peck ant
Lewis have considerable leisure time to in.
spect their surroundings. Several newspa
per men are present, among them belul
Bro. French OF the BrattleborO PhGnix aut
of course the Ubiquitous Col. Forbes.
The Grand Army Cpmp.nre-Illunin
ton OF the Grounds
| ST. JonSsBrEY, Sept. The attendance
at Camp Preston to-day has been very large
although not quite as many were present Il
yesterday. At0 o'clock this forenoon occur
red the brigade guard mount. With thu, cx
ceptlon the usual routine duties were per
formed. AT . o'clock came the grand insptc
ton of the command by the Governor an
stall AMI Generals Kingsley and Peck. Thi
occupied about an hour and half and at it
conclusion the G )vernorretired to his marque
and held an Informal reception, which wa
attended by the field, staff and line officer
and many citizens prescnt. Short rC
marks were made by several me
and half hour was spent very pleasantly
AT $50 occurred the usua. dress parade. TIL
appearance Of the regiment on inspectiO
elected many expressions Of genuine surpris
and admiration from the regular army of
GERS and many old soldiers present, and I'll
little body of troops is one that any State {
commanding officer might well feel proud Of
the regiment is greatly improved within I'll
last year in drill aud general discipline an
much improvement Is noticed within Ill
week. The new ST. Johnshuiy company ha
abundant reason for feeling proud over the FAC
that at the Inspection of mUskets and equii
ments to-day, by the co nmaudng oili .gi
their guns were found in the best conuilo
by lar of any in the regiment.
The Grand Army campfire is held at Il
camp this evening and is attended by hur
dreds of old veterans and citizens. L nd,
the circumstances the exercises are more tina
usually interesting and the camp is brl
liant aud novel spectacle. The streets of III
various companies are hung with Chipes
lanterns and colored lights, bon-hres al
lighted, the officers quarters are scene {
unusual activity and the entire camp is
blaze of light. This "scene OF revery b
night" will be Of sholt duration, howuve
for the preparations for striking camp in Il
morning are begun aud tom rrOw AT hi
time nothing but ruins will mark the deser
ed village OF tents. Governor Barstow c,
presses considerable satisfaction at IL
appearance aud improvement of his Ian
forces and the muster is considered the mo-
interesting and profitable yet held.
Private Keyser Of the battery who W,
injured yesterday by the accidental dschare
Of one of the battery. guns has had the arr
amputated at the elbow andis doing finely.
paper was circulated in his behalf by NJ ic
| Staurno nf RrnlfnrI to-day and Sp1D
raised in the camp and placed at his dispose
Many distinguished citizens from ditferel
parts of the Sa'c have been present, anon
them being Governor Barstow and staff an
Lieut.. Gov. Pngrcc, State Auditor Powell
State Treasurer Du Bots, State lnspec. or {
{ Finance Dewey, Dr. Nichols of Mortified
Secretary Of State, exGovcrnors Proct'
and Farnham, Col. +. L. Smith of Monlp'
lier, Hon. w. p. Dillingham; of Waterbury
State Senator Thatcher, Major Childs {
Bennington, Maj j. G.. Stearns of Bradford
Mayor Morse, Deputy Collector Arthur
Lieut.. G. g. Benedict and Col. Tutherly {
Burlington and Capt c. o. L1vell mliIar
instructor at Dartmouth college, Governor
Bingham of Montpelier, Mr.. Eaton of til
Troy Press and Editors French of the Brat
lleboro Phunlx, Blake of the Monitor, Rope
| of the Walchmap, Camp of the Ncwpol
Express and Chase of the Union. Many o
the above named gentlemen were accom-
panied by members of their families.
The Governors Dny-Closc ofthe Wu'
tcr-The Grand Army Campfire
Incidents and observations.
Saturday brought to successful close on
of the best uusters of the National Guard {
our State ever held Fridays proceeding
though less attractive to outsiders than til
sham fight of the day previous, and wi
messed by fewer spectators, were OF much In
terest to all soldiers and to many civilians
The inspection of the Regiment, by Genera
Peck and Kingsley, was the chief event
the forenoon. 1t showed the command to l
In an EXCELLENT condition as regards arm