The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-11-05
The Officers Reunion.


Vermont Officers Reunion Society was held |
here last week Wednesday. The business
meeting occurred at half-past three o'clock |
in the committee room at the stated house. |
Seven new members were admitted and the |
following officers were elected; President, !
j. &. Baker, Rutland; vice-presidents, j. G. !
| Rutherford, Newport, and &. III. Benton,
Minneapolis; secretary, Fred e. Smith,
| Montpelier; treasurer, l.. g. Kingsley, Rut-
land marshal, w. w. Henry, Burlington;
executive committee, Josiah Grout, Derby,
| u. NJ. Mansur, Island Pond, and f. u. But
terleld, Derby Iine chaplain, w. S. Smart,
| Brandon; committee on toasts, G.. w.
| Hooker, BrattlebOro, and George T. Childs,
| ST. Adams. II was voted to discontinue the
| custom of sending to absent members, at
! the expense of the society, copies of papers
! containing reports of the annual meetings.
| 1t was also voted that the next meeting be
| held at Newport, at time to be selected by
the executive committee, and that the price
of banquet tickets shall hereafter not ex
| coed ST.
The attendance at the evening gatherings
| was very large, and the exercises as a whole
were unusually successful. The limo OF
members and guests which formed at the
| Pavilion was headed by the Montpelier
military band, which played one OF its finest
selections. At representatives. hall, every
| seat was occupied, and many stood about
| the asles. IL was scene that would inspire
any speaker. After selection by the band,
Captain i. II Bisbee of Chicago was intro
duced as the orator of the evening by Pres
ident f. S. Stranahan Captain Bisbee's
subject was General Phil IL. Sheridan and
Vermont soldiers who were with him in the
| Shenandoah Valley" The subject was
treated historically. in clear and graphic
manner, and the attention of the large au
dience was held throughout. The various
| qualities of Sheridan "A soldier and
IA general were referred to in the course
of the address, and the career of the
distinguished officer after the close of
the war was briefly sketched. The
part that Vermont troops played in
the Shenandoah campaign was referred
to in words of the highest eulogy. Es-
pecialy interesting to the officers was his
reference to the watchfulness OF General
Stephen Thomas and the valor Of him and
his men at Cedar Creek Referring to the
stand of Thomas brigade in front OF the
| Nineteenth corps, Captain Bisbee said: 1t
was an awful slaughter, and nearly one-half
of Thomas brigade was killed or wounded
in this unequal contest. Had man of less
courage than Thomas undertaken this task,
it is probable that Sheridan's army would
have shared the same fate as did Napoleon's
at Waterloo. Years afterward Emory said
he never gave an order in his life which
caused him so much pain as the one which
ordered MacMilan's brigade to cross the
pike and hold the rebel army at bay be-
cause, he said, never expected to see
Thomas again." The part that the " Old
Vermont Brigade took in this battle is a
In closing Captain Bxby said " Upon the
valiant leaders of our heroic army will rest
the benedictions of untold millions in all
time To come. The glory of our nation,
our genius for war, the vaOr and devotion
of our soldiers are impersonated in such
leaders as General Philip Henry Sheridan.
Through the thunder of battle he led his
army TO enduring victory, but i'll tho wake
of war he left no foes and when at last he
laid his life upon the altar of his country,
la hpux- ltN hu1 f,1t In L-aa .
his blade in battle bowed their heads in al
fectionate reverence for his good name, his
generous heart and his noble deeds" Hearty
applause followed the address, and on mo-
ton of General Henry the thanks OF the
society were given the speaker and he was
requested to furnish copy for publication.
The line was then reformed, and all re-
turned to the Pavilion.
1t was about ten o'clock when the BAN
Duet began. The number of members and
guests present was much larger than was
expected so large, in fact that the small
dining-rOom was nearly filled, while the
large room was occupied to its utmost ca
pacity. The presence of "A large number OF
ladies added TO the enjoyment OF the occa-
sion. When the appettes OF the gallant
veterans had been appeased, President
Stranahan raped to order and made brief
remarks, closing by Introducing George p.
, Childs of St, Adams as toastmaster. Mr..
Chids also spoke briefly, after which he in
troduced Governor Page. The latter said
his physician had ordered him TO refrain
from speaking, but he could not dsobey the
. call of the officers. He spoke particularly
of the soldiers home, and said that there
| was every reason to be proud OF il and its
, management 1t had been one OF the first
institutions that he had visited since his
election, and he felt sure that nowhere else
? in the country was there such real, sym
pathetic home as this. There was no such
superintendent as Major ColTey. He had
made particular inquiry as to whether there
are any veterans in almshOuses, and he had
been sorry to hear that there are. This
- should not be so, and he hoped by the end
4 of his administration it would not be so.
+ Congressman w. w. Grout was intro
J duced to speak for the ladies. He said that
! it seemed hardly possible that it could be
3 be the twenty seventh reunion. General
' Grout told story and spoke briefly but
gallantly to the toast assigned him.
{ Surgeongeneral Baxter spoke OF the ex-
e cellent work that Dr. Ainsworth, formerly
{ of Woodstock, was doing in correcting the
. system Of medical and military records of
b the war department When a request for a
Y record came from the pension bureau, il
r could now be looked up in seven or eight
hours, although formerly il took four or
@ five months DIR. Baxter said that Secre-
Il tary Proctor was bigger man in Washing
h ton than he was in Vermont, which was
> saying good deal, He hoped the secretary
n would not be sent to the senate until his
k connection with the cabinet ceased, for in
i. Washington he was regarded as the ablest
a man in the cabinet.
Q ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Fletcher compli
e mented the senate, but did not dare to say
o too much for fear the democrats would say
d that little leaven leaveneth the whole
Il lump" 1t was an honor TO preside over
70 the senate, but it was greater honor to bt
= eligible to membership in the officers so
10 ciety Regarding the Soldiers Home, h,
1T thought lie would prefer, in case OF need, Il
d be under the care OF the Relief Corps.
g General j. G.. Mccullough OF Bennng
a. ton was introduced as "A trustee of thu
N Soldiers Home. He thought the home ha(
o. been well spoken for already He referred I,
10 the valor of the soldiers of Vermont which
IN is known TO the world, and he thought tn,
ia women of Vermont deserved equal homo
y, for their patriotism. The heritage of thu