St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-07-05
REUNION OF THE sTH VERMONT.
Addresses by GEN. Stephen Thomas and
Col. Fred z. Smith.

Col. Fred z. Smith.
Some 40 or so of the survivors of the
9Th Vermont and considerable num-
Der of their friends and of the towns
people attended the reunion of the reg
iment, held in Music hall Monday
evening under the auspices of Post
Chamberlin. Commander G. B. Bull
lard presided. A quartette, Messrs.
James Bonett, Dennis May, DR.. Grow
and Harry May, sang "The battle cry
of freedom" and then Col. Fred Smith
of Montpelier, the quartermaster of the
old 9Th, was introduced.
Col. Smith prefaced his address with
brief references to the days that pre-
ceded the war, the work of preparation
for the struggle, the struggle itself and
the grand result. Vermont and her
care for her soldiers came in for special
notice, as we'll as the motto of the
state, "Freedom and Unity" that af-
terward became the nations war cry.
But Col. Smiths special duty was the
introduction of Gen. Thomas which
was very handsomely done. Gen.
Thomas, he said, was self made man
whose grandfather was a soldier in the
revolution and whose father was SOL
dier in the war of 1912. Born at Beth
ell in 1909 farmed out at the age of
four; at Is worked a year at wool card
ing, etc, at Post Mills for suit of
clothes and one dollar; later engaged
in business at Hartland where he was
twice burned out. When the war
broke out though democrat in poll
tics he was foremost in the defence of
the country. His speeches were full of
persuasive force and elOquence; his
name soon became household word
i'm the state. Col. Smith in behalf of
the comrades of the 9Th Vermont pre-
sented to Post Chamberlin q hand
sOmely framed and life-like portrait of
General Thomas, with the request that
it be given place on the walls of the
Post room. The picture was received
with rounds of applause. His has been
long life, said the speaker, and his
works do follow him. All too soon
monuments and pictures will be all we
shall have left of our comrades, save
the memories of the noble work they
did. In Gen. Thomas we have the
ideal citizen, soldier, patriot; the hero
of many battles, brave, cool, command
ing, great.
Commander Bullard in behalf of
Post Chamberlin received the portrait
of the great commander with thank
fulness, but with smothered sorrow.
He recalled the days of Winchester,
Cedar Creek, ETC., declared that Thorn
as anticipated Sheridan's famous ride
and order with his "Fall in I'd brigade
Fall in 9Th Vermont! ~ This is the
happiest moment of my life, continued
the evening.
Gen. Thomas was received with
great cordiality. He bears his 79
years we'll and talked of the work done
by the 9Th Vermont and other state
| troops for over two hours, much of the
time with great power and eloquence
though he was somewhat wordy. Af-
ter speaking of the good work done by
other Vermont soldiers he sketched the
organization of the 9Th in November
1861 the mud-winter camp at Brat
tleboro the departure in the spring
for Ship Island the trip up the Mis-
sissippi to New Orleans. Here came
up the negro question, to the solution
of which Gen. Thompson materially
contributed, for the first colOred regi
ment put in the field was organized by
him. Then followed a very graphic
narrative of the opening of Louisiana
railroad that had been deserted an(
was overgrown with vegetation, the
clearing the track by seven companies
of the 9Th, rebuilding 20 culverts ant
two miles of the road and a bridge AZ;
feet long in single week. A pathetic
story of seven southern Germans wht
enlisted in the Union army and were
afterwards captured and shot, was fol
lowed with the story of cotton steamer
the march to Port Hudson and FOrtres
Monroe, the protection of Washing gton
the marching and counter er-marching il
Virginia, and the glorious work don
at Winchester and at Cedar Creek
olA 4, fIa Of
of four color bearers at the latter place
The General was repeatedly applaude
and he stood the strain of the long ad
dress admirably.
Letters of regret were read from
Geo. III. Carpenter, Gen. Gilmore an
eX-GOv. BarstOw, there was music b.
the banjo club, etc. The reunion wa
very successful. The brave Genera
Thomas has hosts of friends here.
, Republican Flag Raising.
The republicans raised a campaig
flag on Tuesday afternoon in front c
the Athenaum before large and en-
thusiastic audience. The drum corp
, furnished the music and when the ne,
flag, 26 by Sc feet, swung to the breez
the crowd gave three lusty cheers an
tiger. Judge Walter P. Smith the
introduced Gen. Stephen Thomas {
Montpelier who spoke eloquently fc
nearly 80 minutes. The speaker sal
this flag, and the ticket on it NEAR
| protection to American labor and ais
to those who had saved the republic