St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-02-26
Camp-Fire---No. 3.
Address by Col. G. w. Hooker of Brattle-
bOrO.

On Tuesday evening nearly go com
rades and ladies, and invited guests,
attended the second campfire held by
Chamberlain post. First on the pro-
gramme was IA song by the Ladies club,
following which Gen. Ide introduced
the speaker Of the evening, Col. q. w.
Hooker of Brattleboro. who went to
the front with the 4th Vt. regiment,
served his four years, bled for his
country and was left for dead at Cold
Harbor. Col. Hooker first spoke of
the three months men who were put
into the field by Governor Erastns
Fairbanks, giving IA glimpse of their
good service at Big Bethel, and of the
daring bravery of the 3D. Vt. regiment
at Lees Mills. He spoke of the 20
battle flags which were returned to
our state by the "boys," riddled and
torn with bullets, which now hang in
the State house,-how in the short
space of five months 3lI9 of the Yer
mont boys laid down their lives at the
battles of SpOttsylvania, the Wilder
ness and Cold Harbor. The speaker
paid glowing tributes to many of the
Vermont regiments taking them each
in turn. He spoke of the arrival of
the Sth Vt. regiment at the South and
such positions as editors and engineers
and to hold other offices OF trust and
responsibility, showing what kind of
blood old Vermont sent to the front.
He gave description of the 18th VT,
called the Heavy Artillery. He spoke
somewhat ut length of the bOldness
and bravery of Lieut.. Col. Cham ber-
lain in whose memory this post re-
ceived its name, and Of his heroic
death.
The speaker then took up the nine
months men and complimented their
excellent discipline and grand service.
He next touched mp the Vermont troops
at Gettysburgb, where it is claimed
they turned the tide of battle. -.
AOI. IlO0ktT Oh TIE IL III ' L.
regiment that considering the time
they were out they were among the
first for heavy fighting and that they
lost more men in action than any other
regiment that went from this state.
The sharpshooters, batteries and LIST
Vt. cavalry were noticed, and the
Il
Custer that with the LIST VT. and the
9TH n. Y. cavalry he would clean out
-- itself. The speaker dwelt some
what npon the services and death of
Capt. Joseph Carpenter of this place
at the battle of the Wilderness, and
referred to Andersonville where in
about three months 236 Vermont boys
starved.
III closing Col. Hooker spoke at CON
siderable length upon the duty and
obligation of the u. S. government in
caring for needy veterans who did such
a glorious work in her defense. He
spoke of the great work being done by
the Ladies' relief corps in helping the
G.. A. K. in it's important work of car
ing for needy comrades of the appro-
priatioDs made by the last legislature
to provide soldiers home; hut ex-
pressed "a doubt of the need of such AN
institution in Vermont ON account of
the public spirit manifested in caring
for the needy soldier OF lis family, and
closed by reading a glowing tribute to
the memory of the brave and daring
services of the Vermont boys and the
soldiers in general.
Following Col. Hooker's address
there was music by the Ladies' club,
after which refreshments were served
by the Relief corps. After this the
Ladies' club furnished several more Of
the old war songs and a general socia-
BILE was held, during which beautiful
cake was brought forward and each
gentleman by the payment of ten cents
was allowed to vote nii the most popu-.
lar gentleman present. The result was
the presentation of the cake to Col.