Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-04-10
THE SILVER ANNIVERSARY.
THE GRAND ARMY CELEBRATION

Monday night witnessed the celebration
Of an anniversary through all the states "
the North. ia which over $50 organiza-
tions. representing half a million old soldiers,
tOok part. sud b. the proceedings Of which
hundreds II thousands Of people gave sym
pathetic attention. while the fires Of patriot
ism we're rekindled This was the silver
anniversary Of the organization It the
Grand Army Of the Republic. Al the hour
for the beginning u the local Observance
$50 the town hall was well filled probably
800 people being present Decorations had
been arranged wb ich we're ia harmony with
the spirit 81 the occasion Two large United
States flags formed a background setting
for the stage On either side 81 the stage.
in front u the prO=cenium arch, we're the
standard colors Of Sedgvick post aud Tyler
camp. Sons Of Veterans At the sides II
the stage we're stacked arms The front Of
the stage was covered With bunting The
speakers desk was also draped with flags
This whole array made a display 1t the
national colors that ia itself was a patriotic
inspiration. Upon the stage we're seated
eN-Gov. Frederick Hobrook, Maj Austine,
Coils Hooker. Taylor. Fuller, Estey. Revs
Sprugue Phalen. Parry. Webb and Rabbit
Drs. Draper Hoitou aud ketchum. Adju-
tant Putnam and Principal Mel arhlin
Col Hooker presided. and following Sc
lection, los the First Regiment band al
dressed the company. with reference to the
meaning II the anniversary. and spoke Of
the first organization II the Grand Army
at Decatur, ~ which the meeting com
memorated He set forth the purposes
Of the order-charity. loyalty and frater-
nifty and then passed on ~ a review u the
history Of SedgVick post. which was insti-
tuted August 20. 1868 by Dyer d. Lum
who mustered the following comrades into
the order y g. Sawyer. Elijah Wales
B T. JENNIE. Geo. f. Gale o 3 Douglass
Il + Taylor II 81 Currier. G. /. Piper.
Geo. VI Colt. g. Z Briggs. q " Fairfield
g. Il Fairbanks aud Henry h Bush These
naues appear upon the charter y c.
Sawyer Elijah Wales, b T. Jenne a. 3.
Douglass, II f. Taylor, H. W. Currier.
@. l.. Piper, q " fairfield. Everett Alden.
q L. Wheeler On September g. Sfis. the
post adopted the name Sedgwick. after the
gallant commander Of the Sixth Corps
The post had its elections semi annually
Comrades y. g. Sawyer. II r. Taylor and
II. NJ. Currier serving two terms, or one
for each year Since 1872 the officer. have
7
commander been reelected. when Barney
Cannon. who had first been elected ~ FIJI
out the four months on the term Of Newton
Phillips only one commander has served
two years. II f. Taylor. ia sig and in
1850 The following are the u command
ers Of the post during IT, - years Of exis-
teuce y. c. sawyer, H. + Taylor. II 81
Currier, G. r. Briggs, Geo f. Selleck
b. Cannon. W. G. Butler. Gordon.
4. y. Wyatt. y. = Moves. r. = White.
J VI Allen, %. Prescott, II % Leonard.
h. VI Clay. r. II Putnam a. II Bond
I II G. Streeter d l. Herrick. e r. Stur.
[ CESS, and Luke Ferriter. who a., the present
commander. Ben lamin N Clay - the only
one OF the past post commanders Who have
answered the long roll call Two depart
ment commanders have been chosen from
this post, aud several Of - members ha Re
held important positions upon both the he
partment and national stats
Up u the present time ~ ! names have
been added to the rull rail- IT the post. aud
10 far as known ~ oi these have died The
present memberships lG1 Only two mem
bers Of Sedgwick post have gone o. the
soldiers home. aud only one has been di,
charged by sentence Of court martial The
charity fund Of SedgN lex post since 1870
amounts TO - 900, II which - 30 90 has
/ IN part been contributed by the citizens u
/ Brattleboro, 10 attending entertainments
aud fairs gwen by the post
After giving this review Of the post
/ history, Col. Hooker announced the pre-
sentstiun II The Music Of the War. ar.
ranged hy himself aud Col l.inuehan oi
/ New Hampshire, whom many in Brattle
boro will remember As Col Hooker read
. tt Il. = l..
/ pirate Introduction was made for the music
heard in camp, beginning with the reveille
I This music was rendered by the member.
+ Il the hand The colonel story Of camp
I life was in rary vein, and contained hits
{ II local aspiration, humorous incidents,
etc. Following the reveile at intervals in
the story came the other mdsic Of the camp.
the surgeons call. the police call. the break
fast rall. first sergeant's cali, guard mount
lng, drill call, recall. dinner call assembly.
adJutant's call for dress parade. supper call
taps, rugue's march. Besides the instru-
mental selections 10 bear out this repre-
sentatlon OF life III camp, songs were rem
dered by 4. }. Na1ham, in some Of which
I the audience joined These included such
melodies a. For ven all drink stone blind
when Johnnie comes marching home.
Saw my leg off-short, Star Spangled
Banner, Marching through Georgia, and
Home sweet home
After the close o! The Music of the
/ War, the hour being then $40, the time
for the reading Of the general order from
/ Commander in Chief Veazey in every camp
/ in the country, this order was read hv Adj
| lutant Putnam. IL was as follows
Circular Litter. no $
HEADQuAKTEH,
GRASu ARNY nF TIE RErrHiIC
kt-TIASu. VT March T. 1881
CoNBABE,- Assembled a. We arr at this moment
/ 10 one simultaneous post meeting 10 Curntnemnr
ate the founding Of this, our b-lOyed order =
| Year, ago, there arr few salient points Of our
I history which deem Il hitting 70 call 10 YOU
[ remembrance at this time
DR.. + Stephenson, surgeon u the l4th Hi
uOis Infantry. and Chaplain W j Eutlsslge Of the
/ same regiment talked, As they marched under
sherman In Mississippi In "a. 81 the capacity for
| good Ia an organization OF veterans, and agreed
/ u spared. o. work out some plan 10 that end In
March, lSb, they, with others, met at Springfield
l H., and the 9th dAy ~ April. lsS the frsi
/ post was organized at Decatur, ~ Comradr
| stephenson mastering IN the members, and
| granting them charter. an exact fac mile OF
which send you herewith. The hrsi depart menl
encampment was held at Springfield. IN July ~
| u, and the first national rncampment at Indian
apolis, Ind, Nov. - Of the same year Conrade
;. A. Hurlbut was the fins; elected commander
/ in-chlef. ComTade Stephenson having provision
ally acted as such Heretofore, and having called
| together the first national eucAmpment The
violence Of political strife at that time involved
| the new order more or less and substantially de
struyed It's vitality especially In the section II the
/ country where il had It's origin, some Of the de
/ partmenls bring left With nothing more than a
mere nominal existence. with scarcely a post la
l active operation. This was the situation at the
/ time OF the second national rncampment held al
Philadelphia, Jan IS, Ss, and continued till after
| the death Of lis founder, Aug 20. ISL Hisdream
/ Of an order Rrandly carrying out his noble con
I ception SEEMED only dream, never o. h. real
| iLed
! At this point that Peerless volunteer soldier
Logan, took command. succeetied ia turn by
Burnside. Deyens and Hartranft The nine years
/ Of service as commander nchief rendered by
/ these faithful and devoted comrades. nov all
| mustered out forever, and the work Of the able
stan ON GERS Of their administrations laid deeI
| and broad the foundations nov so Wlsely b,l IN
TIL nov 20 share with the fruits Of his yrars OF
| toll, dependency and disappointment he woult
| handy recognize this our giant order. which
| when he died. was apparently ~ near its end
| Wisely guarded and carefully fOstered, 1t hai
/ gathered strength zach year, and today Occiipir,
] a position Of character benefcence and influence
| second to no organization uf our time The sam,
! conservative coursr can keep il growing few
years more despite Our Increasing death rate; but
/ those cuinrades. WHO celebrate the S'micrntennal
anniversary, - years hence, will b. few Ia mum
/ lef. II Is therefore for US who now turn Will
/ thankfunesS TO the founder and TO the pr-serSen
OF our order Ia so conduct is Affairs, 10 guar
I Il from dissensiun. and Ia So keep IL true u III
/ immortal principles, that its Influence will be fell
] long after the organization has erased tn "a ist
/ In this each cOmrad- has bis share zach depart
meut rs burden. TO he loyalty accepted, perform
/ ed aud horne, with dr,p si'nsr 81 the pri,ilrg,
/ a. well as obligation that Is uurs Forward then
my comrades, into the next quarter century " ~
the one purpose aninating us all. to still farthr
/ extend our lines and 10 light our camp frt-s W.
! more widely, not alone for our sak.s. hut a. al
] inspiration 10 the new generation. Shipfnatt
under the union jack: soldier. { whatrN ~ ranl
| or arm marines gallant as any; all pressing ui
! IN this the work ~ our declining days. elbow {,
! elbow, stirrup 10 stirnlp, yard arm To- ward arm
heart 70 heart, all Ia the Grand Army ~ the Re-
public
Your conradr IN e.. G.. and l..
W. q. NEAzEY.
bnciAi; COMMANDMENT CHEF
! j. II. GouIDiSG,
Adlutant GENERAL
Aftar The ,-aal;,a. - .l: - -