Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-02-06
The q. A. r. Encampment at st
Johnsbury.

The q. A r.. Encampment at st.
Johnsbury.
The 2lst annual encampment, depart
ment of Vermont, G. A. r. assembled at
| ST. Johnsbury Tuesday and Wednesday.
| There was reception rendered delegates
and their friends at Post Chamberln hall
Monday evening. The regular sessions of
the encampment met at 2 O'Clock Tuesday
afternoon; there was a largely attended
and enthusiastic camp fire Tuesday even
ing and the sessions of the encampment
were brought to successful close We'd
nesday noon.
At the reception on Monday evening a
large number were present, and speeches
were made by comrades II. C. Bates,
Taylor of Brattleboro, Paison of Putney,
Mansur of Island Pond, Stafford of Nor
risville, Mcdonald and others. Mrs.
Newcomb, president of state relief corps
spoke briefly for the 43 corps at present
in the state, and Mrs. Howe of Brattlebo-
no considered some of the practical woI k
ings of the relief corps. The reception
was very suspicious beginning of the
series of meetings.
At the first session of the encampment
us delegates were present and interest
ing exercises followed. Commander
b. odgett gave an address and the Adju-
tants, Quarter Master Generals and other
reports were presented. From the Adjt.-
Generals report it appears that there are
SO Posts in the State with an aggregate
OF about 5000 members.
The camp fire Tuesday euenin9 was
perhaps the most successful ever held in
the state. The crowd began to gather
long before the hour announced for the
opening and at 100 the hall was full ami
running over, many standing in the aisles
throughout the long evening. On the
platform was a notable array of eminent
men. Commander-in-chief Rea of Mime
apofis and John @. Liunrhun of Penna-
cook, N. H., of the national department,
Judge W. G. VeaZey, Governor Ormsbee
and Lieut. Gov. Fuller. Commander p. ID.
Blodgett, Gen. Stephen Thomas, Ex-Gov.
Farnham, Col. Mansur, Col G. w. Hook
er and others, including a large represen-
tation of the ladies of the relief corps,
Mrs. Hampton of the national and Mrs.
Newcomb of the state department and
furnished excellent instrumental music
and the glee club rendered number of
selections during the evening.
DIR. G. B. Billiard, commander Cham
berlin post, presided. He welcomed the
department on behalf of Post Chamber
lin, the Relief corps and citizens, and in
troduced as the first speaker the Com
mander-in-chief Rea, who was received
with rounds of applause, and spoke elo-
quently for nearly an hour.
John c. Linnehan of n. H., junior vice
COMMUNICATIVE was introduced as a
typical Irish soldier and kept his audience
in an almost continual roar of laughter
and applause as he told stories that only
a wide awake Irishman could tell. The
200 Irishmen as soldiers of the war
fought for liberty, but not more courage
ously than the III 900 Germans and the
1877 900 blacks. In concluding he spoke
of the blessings of American citizenship
and plead that unfortunate comrades be
given tender care at the hands of the
state.
Col. w. G. VeaZey came next with
strong and forcible address. After grace
fully complimenting st. Johnsbury for
the warm greeting extended the encamp-
ment, he responded to the sentiment to
which he had been asked to respond,
Vermont's war governor, Erastus Fair
banks, TO whom he paid hearty and elo-
quent tribute.
Mrs. Emma Stark Hampton, national
president of the womans relief corps was
next introduced and spoke at considera-
BILE length of the work and experiences
of women in the war, of the central idea
of the relief corps of to-day in helping
the unfortunate, recalling personal remin-
iscences of the war times and experiences
of those days.
Gov. E. j. Ormsbee was cordially well
coined. These meetings, he said, were
the best of educators, keeping fresh the
memories of the days of 6l-'65, furnish
ing absolute guarantee of the loyalty and
fraternity of the citizens of the Green
Mountain state and keeping alive memoir
les that should never be allowed to die
But for the service rendered by the boys
in blue there would be no United States of
America to day. He urged that the Sons
of VafarQnC "a Cnctain.H Al
in their work.
Lieut.. Gov. Fuller followed, drawing a
graphic picture of the uprising of the
North in '6l, of the decimeted ranks of
the nations heroes. living and dead, who
had contributed to the great results that
this country now enjoys. As the names of
Grant, Logan Stannard and other gener-
ais of the war were pronounced they were
louply cheered by the audience.
Commander p. ID. Blodgett of the state
department came next. He spoke briefly
of the work of the state department
Gen. Stephen Thomas, "a grand old
man" was called for and as he advanced
to the platform was welcomed with
three rousing cheers and a tiger He
spoke briefly but with a good deal of
spirit and stirred the boys up to a high
degree Of enthusiasm. The general was
as lively as any of the speakers and
made things as lively for the hearers.
In response to loud calls for Col. g.
w. Hooker, of Brattleboro, that worthy
stepped forward and proceeded to cop
yuise the audience with laughter while
he told a half dozen stories such az the
Col. only can tell. There is but one
Col. Hooker and one must be present to
get the best of the Coloners brilliant