Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-10-18
The Great hattie, IT. Meaning and Its
ReHuits.


"a.
local rebellion, and might, perhaps, gain
for it admission into the family Of the ma
tions-an end most earnestly desired So |
often had the old flag gone down in sorrow |
before the stars and bars that, to use the |
words Of Longstreet, "the Southern army |
felt itself equal to anything" 1t was there
fore with high hopes and great expectations
that this invasion of the Keystone state was
begun. Flushed with victory, insolent in
self confidence, they came across the Dor
der with high hope of conquest and plum.
der Thirty five years ago an English off
Ger, standing upon Cemetery hill and looking
across to Seminary Ridge, taking in the
landscape north, south, east and west, said.
what a splendid place this would he for a
great battle ~ Little did he think that in
after years one of the worlds great battles
would be fought here a battle involving
mighty questions, a contest that virtually
decided the fate of Republican institutions.
We pass over the details and circumstan-
ces which led to the assembling of the two
great armies at this place July I, and g.
1868. The battle of the first day was dis
astrous to our cause The First and Elev-
enth corps fought heroically against thrice
their number, but at nightfall they had re-
treated to Cemetery HILL full three miles
from the spot where the battle began in the
morning. Thousands of their number Law
dead and wounded on the plain between
thousands had been taken prisoners. IL
was indeed night of sorrow and suspense.
In the second days contest the Third and
Fifth corps suffered terrible loss and vet
the victory was not gained. One more day
Of boodshed, of horror of death The
day of trial had come, and every minute
made a page of history written in the best
blood of the land Gen Lee had failed to
break the right wing of our army he had
failed to break our left wing only two al
ternatives were left him-to break the cen
tire or retreat. He chose the former, and
full II, 900 men were to make the gallant
charge.
As we stood on Cemetery ridge one Week
ago, in memory we could see again that
attacking column moving down the slope in
magnificent array, resolved to break the
| Union centre or die in the attempt. With
a frontage of one mile, they moved grandly
on. Solid shot and bursting shells ploughed
great gaps in their ranks, but they faltered
not. The eyes Of the world were upon
them they carried the fate of the Confed
eracy. Heroism was then and there per
sonifed.
al,a 1 -,
similar to that made by the British in the
battle of Fontenoy, and which was so gal.
lantly repulsed by the Irish brigade under
Lord Glare. The poet says
six thousand English veterans in stately column
tread,
Their cannon blaze in front and flank, Lord Hay
is at their head;
Steady they step adown the slope, steady they
climb the hill.
Steady they load, steady they fire, moving right
Between the woods and Fontenoy as through a
furious blast,
Through rampant trench and palsade and hui.
lets Showering fast,
And on the open plain above they and kept
their course.
| with ready fire and grim resolve which mockrd
at hostile force
Past Fontenoy past Fontenoy, while thinner grow
their ranks,
| They broke as broke the Zuydrr Zee through Hnl-
land : ocean banks
But there is point of endurance beyond
which no man can go As the rocks beat
back the waves that roll in from the ocean,
so the grand old Army of the Potomac beat
back this furious onslaught. Against these
veterans the untried troops of Vermont
were called to measure their strength From
such test even the heroic Stannard might
,tyall ghr it,l- Al.
brigade hesitated in that hour Their gal
liant conduct has become historic and adds
new lustre to the Green Mountain state.
As we stood upon that ground and looked
up to the beautiful shaft erected by the state
to commemorate the deeds of her heroic
sons, feeling of patriotic pride thrilled
every nerve. There are values in this life
that cannot be reckoned in dollars and
cents there are sentiments and aspira
tions, emotions and holy purposes, that
must be experienced to be properly under.
stood and appreciated. 1t is fitting that
this magnificent monument should stand
where it does-upon the very forefront of
the battle line; for Vermont is and ever
has been upon the advance line of every
great work and purpose.
The monument to the Old Brigade stands
east of Round Top, and is peculiarly fitting
in its design. The pose of the figure of the
lion is admirable The mighty beast, grand
by confident Of his own strength, seems tc
have Just reused himself at the noise of the
conflict, and is looking with PARKWAY gaze
to see how fares the battle, ready to rise at
one instants notice and crush the invaders
if they attempt to cross his path. The Sixth
corps was not placed at this point because
it was unimportant and free from danger.
Had the Confederates moved around Round
Top, as earnestly urged by Longstreet, they
would have been received Sin due and an
Gent form, as Col, Seaver said in his re
marks-which, by the way, are counted tt
have been among the most happily chosen
of any that were made upon this occasion
The monument to the cavalry is erected
west of Round Top, near where Gen Farms
worth went down in that charge which was
so i'll advised Gen. Wells described the
movements of the cavalry from Hanover to
Gettysburg, with the skirmishes during the
days of battle, and paid high tribute to
Gen. Farnsworth, Capt. H, c Parsons,
now of Virginia, told what he saw at the
time and what he had since been told about
the battle he saw Gen. Farnsworth after
he had received three shots, any one OF
which was fatal He said there was feel
ing in the Confederate army that Vermont
was the biggest state, for its officers had
told him that they were never in a fight
where Vermont was not well represented.
From this point the procession moved to
the monument erected to show the position
of companies h and II, Second IT, s. Sharp
shooters. Appropriate remarks were made
by Corporal Curtis Abbott of Boston.
The last monument to be dedicated was
the beautiful marble shaft erected to show
the position of Co. f, First Sharpshooters
west of Seminary ridge. Appropriate re
marks we're made by Sergeant Cassius Peck
of Brookfeld, Col. Ripley of Rutland anc
Capt, Merrill of Company F, and this end
ed the formal exercises of the day.
The weather was all that could he desir
ed and the dedicatory exercises from first
to last were appropriate, entertaining and
deeply inspiring. Col. Batchelder gave in
teresting accounts of the great battle, botl
at the state monument and from the sum
init of Little Round Top.
To one who has never visited the battle
field before, the large extent of the ground
upon which fighting occurred at one time
or another during the three days is a mat
ter of surprise, The entire field is as large
as an ordinary township-fully five miles