Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-07-24
OuR HANERsACk.


sionrrs to Mark Antietnm's Battlefield.
Tho following extract appears in the
Army and Navy Register AT the last SEES
sion of Congress an appropriation OF Tlo
600 was made for preserving the lines OF
battle of the Army of the Potomac and OF
the Army of Northern Virginia at Ante
tam and for marking the same, and Tor To-
eating and marking the position OF each OF
the l3 different commands of the regular
army engaged in the battle of Antletam
Before leaving the city OH Fridny last Sec
rotary Proctor appointed Gen. Henry Heth
of Virginia and Maj j. c. Stearns OF YER
mont, both of whom participated in the bat
tie of Antietan, commissioners to MARI Tue |
lines of battle select sites, etc zen. netD !
was a distinguished division commander un-
der Gen. Lee. Maj Stearns was an officer |
of the Ninth Vermont Both are competent
men for the work assigned them.'
The secretary of war has made no mis- |
take in appointing Col. John c. Stearns of
Bradford, VI, to this delicate duty. We
are permitted to give our readers the bene-
fit of an incident which happened at Har-
per's Ferry, Va, a day or two previous to
the battle of Antietam,' in which Col.
Stearns showed the metal OF which he was
made
The Ninth Vermont regiment, Col. George
j. Stannard commanding and John {.
Stearns, al jutant were two hours trying to
get out OF the lines after the surrender OF
Harper's Ferry, before they were captured
At this time Adjutant Stearns was acting
as commissary of subsistence upon the stall
of Col. Trmble Goth Ohio Nols.), who com
manded the brigade, and which was com
posed Of tho 9th Vermont, Goth Ohio, 10th
and 126th New York regiments. Adjutant
Stearns although in poor health, was always
on duty, and grasped the situation OF al
fairs about us quickly as any one in the
command. When he the paroiug of
the troops going on, it is said that he asked
Gen. Stannard if he would allow him to
visit the confederate general, A. J. Hill,
and ask for teams to transfer the personal
property of the ninth Vermont regiment
from Harper's Ferry to Annapolis, Md,
Gen. S;annard was dumbfounded at the
audacity of the request but granted him
the permission, saying he would not get the
same. Adjutant Stearns went TO Gen.
Hills headquarters and met the members OF
his staff, who were feeling hila
rious at the capture OF Harper's
Ferry. When the union officer
appeared they asked him to drink to
to the health OF the southern COME
deracy. 1t would not be proper
here to state the reply given by Ad
Juldnt olearns, out IL Is SuIilC!tul 10 hnoN
that he declined and they drank alone. ar
ter which he asked them if they had any
thing left, to which they replied in the af
frmatve, and he proposed a toast to the
union and destruction to the confcderacy,
this Adjutant Stearns drank alone SO
much noise was made that Gen. Hill came
out and taking in the situation at a glance,
reprimanded his staff for being uncivll
TO prisoner of war; he also invited the
union officer into his quarters. This was
Adjutant Stearn's opportunity and he put
his case SO nicely that the teams were
secured upon agreement that they should be
returned to the nearest outpost Of the CON
federate army soon as the 9th Vermont
regiment were through with them. Conse-
quently this was the only Union regiment
that left Harper's Ferry with teams, and to
this day the Vermont boys bleS, Col.
Stearns for his faithfuIncss, sagacty, and
ingenuity in procuring the wherewithal to
relieve them from carrying the knapsacks
and other articles so grlevous to a soldier to
bear.
After a march of 100 miles to Annapolis,
the teams were turned over to Maj Gardner
S. Blodgett, United States Army our
townsman who was chief quartermaster OF
tue post, and it is said that Maj Blodgett
turned them over to the nearest rebel out
post, as agreed
We do not know Of anyone who is better
acquainted with this locality than Col.
Stearns, and are sure that with Gen. Heth
to represent the confederate side the loca-
lions OF the different organizations OF the
Union and confederate armies will be cor
rectly designated
The salary of the commissioners Is $500.
Rates to the National Encampment at
Detroit-G. a. X. Notes.
Department Commander Morgan of the
g. A. Il. has issued general order in
which he says: Through the efforts of Com
rade S. W. Cummings, e. 2. A, c. Y. r. r.,
reduced rates have been secured for those
attending the National Encampment at Do
troit August 3 to s, as follows; Outward
journey via the Central Vermont X. r. to
Norwood, K. W. x o. Division of New
York Central to Niagara Falls Great West
ern Division Grand Trunk Ry. to Detroit
returning via same route rate for which
VIII be $l3. 90 from any point on the Cen.
trail Vermont Railroad. The chartered
sleeping cars will go out to Detroit via thi.
route. Round trip tickets to Detroit via
the above mentioned route at %l3. co. or re-
turning via Kingston, Ont, and including
the steamer ride down the St Lawrenc,
River To Montreal at $1,000, will be on SALE
at al the principal stations on the {. Y. X. K. >
letter just received from Commander
in-Chief Nealoy expresses the hope thai
Vermont will be represented in large num-
bers at this Encampment.
VETERANS REUNION AT MIsSIsQUOt PARK.
The Veteran association of Franklin
Grand Isle aud Chittenden counties vii
hold their annual reunion and basket picnic
at Missisquoi Park. on Thursday, July %
The programme will consist OF addresses By
many well-known prominent comrades 0
the department. and music by bauC
furnished for the occasion. Half fare rate
will be furnished from Burlington Water
bury, Richford, Cambridge Junction, Al
burgh and intermediate stations and from
Montreal and Waterloo. A cordial invita-
tion is extended to all comrades and thoi
wives, members of the " omau's Relic
Corps, and Sons OF Veterans. T.. II. Tri"
OF Burlington is president OF the association
and j. II. Montefore OF ST. Adams, ageu
and secretary.
Description OF the Marksman BaiRe
offered by DIR. webb.