Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-06-01
A GREAT DAY In BRANDON,
DEDICATION OF THE SOLDIERS MON
UMENT ON SATURDAY,.
Tho Exercises Most successfully Carried
Out-Address by Gen. l.. A. Grant
A Grand Parade and Inn
mense Concourse.

The beautiful village of Brandon-and
there is not another in Vermont which sur
passes it in the neatness and beauty of its
broad, curbed, finely shaded and well kept
streets-was looking its best on Saturday.
1t was great day for Brandon, for on 1t
the monument erected by the town to the
soldiers of Brandon who fell in the war
for the Union, was dedicated with an i'm
posing parade and interesting exercises.
They day was n perfect one for
such an occasion, bright but not too
bright, mild but not too warm, free
from dust, and altogether delightful.
The people of Brandon and of the country
round turned out en- masse to 1t, and there
was numerous attendance of prominent
citizens and veterans of the Grand Army
and of the old brigade-the latter drawn
by the prospect of seeing and hearing
their old brigade commander, General l.:
A. Grant. The presence of the latter would
alone have made it a notable occasion.
After serving through the war, during
three wears o. which he commanded the
old First Vermont brigade, Gen. Grant
settled in the West, where he is now a
substantial and honored citizen of Mime
apOlis, and with the exception of attend
ing one meeting of the Officers Reunion
society, we think he has not been present
on any public occasion or made public
address in this State since the war. There
were probably not less than fUe thousand
persons gathered around the stand and
monument during the public exercises.
THE MONUMENT
is substantial and enduring one % feet
high, of Barre granite. 1t stands within a
double circular coping of granite, at the
lower end of Park street, facing the park,
which many think would have been the
better spot for it. From a base eight feet
square rise two smaller bases bearing the
wo rds: Brandon to her fallen heroes"
and the date "lSS6' Above is a die four
and a half feet square, on the four polished
faces of which are inscribed the names of
the soldiers from Brandon who gave their
lives for the support OF the flag, SO in mum
Der. A second and smaller die above bears
the coat of arms of Vermont, the national
arms, and martial devices of crossed
swords and crossed cannon. On the plnth
above are ID stars representing the original
thirteen States of the Union. The whole
is surmounted by a statue eight feet high
of a private soldier in overcOat and cap,
standing easily at parade rest. The cost
of the monument and its surroundings as
it stands was 5000, which has been paid
from the town treasury.
THE PROCEEDINGS.
The forenoon was devoted to receiving
the detachmentS of the Grand Army and
the Sons of Veterans AS they arrived
A,,onu thasa ,,ora Con,monder TricL
-Ainons 'n.'0 WV OOi''i,'''e'
AuJu'dht Schrouer anu 10 iieHioers Va
Stannard Post of Burlington, and the
Middlebury and Rochester posts, beside
large delegations from other posts. Al
noon free dinner was served to invited
guests, veterans and the sons of veterans
in the lower room of the town hall build
ing, which was appriately decorated. Al
O'Clock IL line was formed at the railroad
station to receive Roberts Post, G, A. r.,
of Rutland. which, with the Rutland Cor
net Band and number of invited guests
arrived by special train. AT O'Clock the
procession was formed by Major &. II
Forbes, marshal of the day. The process
sion comprised the Sprague Guards, as
military escort Grand Army posts, under
command of State Dept Com, George I,
Childs; the Brandon Company Go. g. OF
the 18th VI. Vols, of which Lieut.. Cover
nor Ormsbee was captain, with no less
than thirty of its surviving members il
the ranks the Allen fire company Of
Brandon, whose flne marching and drill