The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-01-29
SONS OF VERMONT |
NEW YORK AND BROOKLYN.

lowed Gen. Mccullough (whOse eloquent
speech we printed last week.. He arose
T. the toast, soldiers of Vermont. and
said: "rhis is the first time that ever
essayed to talk to = Vermont audience.
A few years since, when | knew about
four times as much about politics as
do now, l did in feeble way try to make
some political speeches, but they We're
not like the calculations contained in
odd Isaiah Thomas Almanac of an
eclipse calculated for the meridian of
Boston. but will do for the rest OF New
England and the Canadas, for my
speeches were only calculated for the
meridian of Boston, therefore l never
wasted any time on what | regarded as
politically benighted Vermont, and it is
probably a fortunate circumstances that l
did not, But | am glad of the oppor-
tunity to pay a compliment, If can, to
the Vermont soldiers, many of whom l
knew So well, and to State that not only
did her whole duty throughout the war,
but has not since bewailed the presence
Of the old veterans or the size of the pen
sion list
"Another feature of this occasion en-
baraSscS me-the presence of ladies. 1t
requires all the courage of soldier of
mont Brigade belonged, to speak in the
presence of ladies'; indeed, | can recall
no instance in the war that seemed so
hazardous and desperate. Yeti can hut
think how much of the splendid reDuta-
Gun these Vermont soldiers won in the
war was due to the Green Mountain
mothers and maids; true is the saying,
sWhO rocks the cradle rules the world. )"
1t is tit that woman should join with you
h celebrating the glorious remembrances
uf your native State. What she did for
Che soldiers need not recount; whether
she staid at home and worked to keep
the wolf from the door of your cottage
and prayed for and took pride in your
success, or went to the field with lint and
handages and cared for the sick and
wounded. She sacrificed as much for
the cause as the soldier who carried a
musket.
'"rhe first item of history in regard to
Vermont that won my youthful admir-
&tiOn was the stirring speech of General
Stark when he said, pointing to the red
coats: They are our prisoners or Mollie
Stark is n widow How many, think
you, old Vermont soldiers in every battle
Nere imbued with inspiration like that
given by a Spartan mother, when she
gave her son shield, and told him to
return with it or on it, impaired to them
by mother, sister or the girl they loved2
with soldier thus imbued it is death
or decoration Stannard, when he lost
his arm said: Il have lost my arm, but
It will put another star ON my shoulder.
A soldier p sSesses happy combina-
ton of Qualities-actiOn and not thought,
decision and not hcsitancy. Who ever
Sawa good soldier that was not generous,
brave and self-sacrificing; or a coward
chat was not selfish friend2 Perhaps
CHS il best illustrated by General Sher-
itlau, the greatest fighter this or any
other war ever produced. He was such
poor scholar that he graduated at West
Point at or near the foot of his class. In
his autobiography he says tlat he never
could have got through if he had not
been helped by his class-mate, Gen. II.
". Slocum. He had such a combination
q qualities that he might have been
called natural born soldier
81 ought to allude to some of the traits
Of Vermont troops which they inherited
from their State and surroundings of
birth. They are loyal in spirit, moral in
character, daring in execution and dOcile
under discipline. In physique finely de-
IelOped and capable of great endurance,
while for GOODNESS in action they were
unsurpassed. | would like to speak of
Che distinguished men Vermont sent to
the war. but time will not permit 1t is
d sufficient eulOgy to say they were such
- might be expected from that State.
"Mark Twain says he never wishes to
lecture on travels in Eu' ope before those
EhU have been there, because they will
never believe him. On the assumption
that there are not many here who never
saw battle, | might say few words
upon that subject. The first qualification
for a person to possess to describe d
battle to suit layman, is absence o!
presence at Or prejudice i'll favor of OF
against such an occasion.
"rhe popular historian generally does
CHS business in the same way that the
German artist describes Il camel, which
Is according TO the dictates of his con.
SCIENCE General McMahOn tells truly
how such a scene is described by this
class of writer's:
Colossal horses with distended nos,
Gils, bearing plumed riders with bloody
Gabres, riding through agOniZed infantry
and lost batteries; long lines of CLEAN
ting bayoncts brought promiscuously to
gether; struggling men, with war cries
prodding and pummelimg each other i
hours amid waving flags; slain horses
cucumber wounded heroes; disabled
pieces serve as cOuches for slaughtered
Cannoneers.
"'fhey tell of the rage and awful
H'lendor of COOtlict; agony of wounded
and suffering heroes or the abandonment
q death. When in fact line of blue
CDated soldiers tUiiing slowly across
some valley or tangled swamp, against a
C1cBt or wooded slope toward scarcely
visible line of works; the distant knOlls
crowned with the smoke of batteries
meu falling without artistic effective
minutes OF the double quick, and one Of
Close, hurried, distorted fighting at in.
tervals would not content layman; vel
. Il is all there is of great ba ,tle.'
"rhrre never was battle in which the
First Brigade was engaged that they did
: not have the plduditS of their comrades
And the Communications of their com
handing general go battles and nevel
lost flagl. 1t is fortunate for their his
tory that that they belonged to the OLE
unequaled Sixth Corps, where they werC
the peers OF the best.
'What more can say of my old com
Tades in the Sixth Corps. Time has
dimmed our eyes, bent our shoulders
siiVered our heads and taken from Oul
feetthe sturdy tread that followed Nc.
ClGllan at Aniietam. Meade and Sheridan
at Fisher Hill andGrant at AppOmattUx
but the Iecullectiuns OF those days are a.
the hghtning's flash. and as We live over
again rs in dream the scenes of thirty
in tui,i,,I. f.,,,lr nurf