Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-10-22


in the country. The arms and equipments
thus furnished we're not to be sold or loaned
to the several states, but were to be trans
milted" TO them to be distributed by each
state to it's militia under such rules and regu'
lations as each might adopt. The proportion
which each state should receive was to be de-
termined by the number of its effective mill
tia. In 1916 Congress passed another act,
which prevented unexp ended parts Of this
appropriation from being devoted to any 9th
er purpose. In 1855 another act was passed,
changing the basis of distribution so that it
was to be made, not according to the number
of militia in each state, but according to its
representation in Congress and this act also
provided that there should be an equalization
among the states OF arms received under the |
act of 1905 Under this latter provision, un-
til this equalization was made state that had
not received its full share OF the annual APP
preparation would have an accumulation of
arms due to be furnished it on account of for
mer yearly sums not taken up and used. 1t
was under this law of 1903 that the arms and
equipments were furnished the state in 1864,
for which this claim of $543 $50 is now set
up.
The st. Adams raid, which took place Oct.
10, 1864, not only created condemnation in
Vermont, but it caused great anxiety in the
war department and at Gen. Grants head
quarters before Richmond, for it WAS feared
that it was only the beginning of like troubles
on the Northern frontier. Secretary Stanton
wanted the border protected, but this could
l. 4. -, a., h,,
Withdrawing troops from the front or by rails
ing new troops. TO do either OF these things
was inexpedent when the government was
straining every nerve to keep up the fight at
the front. At that time Gen. Pitkin was with
the Army of the Potomac, acting as chief de-
pot quartermaster in charge of all quarter
masters supplies of that army. The Yer
mont legislature was then in session, and on
the day following the raid Gen. Pitkin was
elected Quartermaster General of the state,
and Gov. Smith telegraphed him to come on
at once Ger. Grant and Gen. Ingalls, both
urged him to accept the Office, and he left i'm.
mediately for home. A few days afterward
Gov. Smith and Gen. Ptkin went to Wash
ington to confer with Secretary Stanton, who
had already urged that Vermont take action
to protect the frontier, and which she had un-
dtrtaken to do by vote of her legislature to
raise large militia force-twelve regiments
of infantry, three batteries of artillery, and
twelve companies Of cavalry.
At the interview in Washington, Secretary
Stanton held that under the equalizing act of
1885 there was a large amount Of arms that
could be transmitted to the state, but prob
ably not enough to arm this militia force
without drawing on the future quota Of the
state under the act of 1908 There was no
other way in which arms could be furnished
the state, and the staunch, self reliant old war
secretary at once resolved to draw on the fu-
ture and send all the arms needed. Further
than this, he insisted that the Vermont militia
should have the regulation United States uni
forms, so as to avoid accidents or mistakes in
case it should be necessary to send regular
troops to the state to help defend the from
tier. The state proceeded to raise and uni
form its militia, as urged by the secretary, al
an expense of over 5000, 600, and also furn-
shed them with canteens, hsversacks, and
rubber and wooden blankets everything,
in fact except tents, in readiness for the win.
ter's campaign which it was expected the
troops would be called upon to make-tht
general government furnishing only the arms
and ammunition. These arms, as already
stated, were transmitted to the state and
charged against it's quota under the act Of
1908, and were not charged as a debt against
the state. While the rebellion was still in
progress they we're distributed to the militia
which WAS thus put on war footing ready fol-
active service at an hours notice. though the
call for this service fortunately never came
The next April and May saw an end to the
war, and with il to all danger from attack or
, the Vermont border Soon after, the mlitit
force was reduced to three regiments, ant
afterwards to the single half regiment anl
one battery of which it now consists. Th,
Napoleon guns now used by Fuller battery
are part of the arms thus transmitted TO tn,
| state Iu due time after this reduction OF the
militia force, the arms not in use were called
in and stored in the arsenal built for their re
I cepton on Seminary hill in Montpelier.
, Improvements in firearms soon put the in
fantry arms, which were muzzle-loadng nus
kots, out of date and sfterward, during tn
, Franco. Prussian war they we're advantageous
, ly sold When that conflict began Their
n was a sudden demand for arms of all kinds
n and everything available was quickly snatche,
4 up by agents and spectators, who contrive,
. to smuggle them out of the country. Til
= arms thus sold from Vermont were consigne
and shipped to New York by the agent VIII
Y bought them, but in point of fact they neve
v touched land on this side of the water afte
o leaving New London by boat. In New Yor
harbor they were put aboard foreign ship
and by her landed in France. 1t was solel
J. through the agency of that war that thes
}, arms ever came to have any numerical value
a In the aggregate sum of $4,000, for whic
q the Third Auditor says they were sold, is il
n cluded moneys received for the blankets an
q other equipments which the state furnishe
n at her own expense
Since those arms were transmitted to th
n state in 1864, Vermont has drawn no arm
10 from the government for her militia, thong
d the need of modern arms for her nationI
i guard is admitted to be urgent. On March
It 1875, Congress passed an act which recognii
/ es that arms issued TO the several states du
r ing the rebellion, under the act OF 1908, wei
If properly chargeable to the United States
1. faithfully used in the war, and this act De
lie mits each state to have the arms so issue
D.: credited on its quota of arms, but forbit
K such credit being given for any arms thl
in have been sold-thus leaving such arm
0. charged against the states quota. This lattt
a. condition exactly applies to Vermont's stu
ir ton in this particular. To meet sudden OK
gency, Secretary Stanton made heavy dra
b. on the future on the states account, and ga,
ID her her quota for many years to come-pe
IN haps for hundred years, perhaps for NOR
20 Her representation in Congress has since bee
a twice reduced, and it would be difficult to 6
Is, innate for just how many years ahead Il
s, quota has been drawn. All the acts of Co
an gress on this subject which have been pass,
mt apparently admit of no other construetit
k; than that arms which have once been issu,
lg on states quota under the law of 1908, b
~ come the property of the state to which tn,
or are transmitted. The general governme