The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-10-11
TuECouNTy VETERANS.
Reunion at WilmingtOn-3Oo veterans
in Line before $500 People 10 welcome
A Very Successful AfINir.

| u
in Line before a5OO People 10 welcome
A Very successful Amir.
Friday. Oct. 1, dawncd bright and
clear while beneath the shadow OF old
Haystack. in the thriving village OF
Wilmington. the generous and loya
people were busy preparing To gave
the bows in blue royal welcome, and
far out on every road and avenue, lead
inc TO this grand old town, in the gray
and vet uncertain light of morning
the old veterans we're hurrying to the
scene appointed for the annual reunion
of the Windham County Veterans
Association. Wilmington must be
captured, not by the roar OF cannon
and the rattle of musketry but by the
roar of welcome and rafting handshake
of true comradeship, and when al
were marshaled under the command OF
| Col. Geo. II. Bond and the order given
TO charge on the banquet OF beans, tho
victory was complete, and the gallant
Colonel in all his frantic cloquence
was as helpless rs II babe to stay the
slaughter or to stop that noise, by
that Italian band The various organ
izations formed under command OF
Col. Geo. Ii. Bond of Brattleboro, with
his able corp of aides as follows;
c. 3. Lawton Post No. A, Wilmington, ), men;
Scott Post No II Jamaica, 20 men ;-se1g,WHic =,
Post No $ Irattleboro, 50 men II
Clark Post No lO3 West Halifax, 30 men;-A !
Pike Post No Al Readsboro, 10 mcn;-ll o Gil
let Post No l09Whtingham, 20 men.
With three bands of music. the VIII
mington band and two from Readsboro,
the procession passed through the prin
ciplc streets, passing in review before
department officers that were present
and the officers of the association in
front of G.. NJ. Russell's officers.
There was generous decoration
throughout the village while the old
flag hoatcd across the street and Il
spontaneous welcome shone out from
every home. The town has right
TO congratulate itself, for it was the
general verdict that the citizens
did themselves proud.
Dinner was served on the far
ground in floral hall, and the usual
bill of fare consisting of beans, |
brown and white bread, doughnuts. !
and coffee. The tables were set with .
1870 plates and these were filled several I
times. At the afternoon exercises Col. |
X. Haskins was made master of ceremo-
MES in the absence of Col. G.. W. Hook
er and made the speech of welcome
and it is said by good Judges that
Kit really beat himself. Then
the business meeting was held and the
officers of the association
we're elected for the ensuing year:
Pres. X. Haskins. Brattleboro; vice
Pres. c. NJ Russell, Wilmington: Sec.
Al prntt Nnu Fnrn |
Executive Com. Milton Howard and
Dudley of Londonderry. 1t was voted
o hold the next reunion at Jamaica.
Then came the campfire the first ever
leld by the association where the list
VI speakers was entirely composed of
he boys in blue.
The program included song, THE
Army Bean by Wilmington quartcttc
'lr. and Mrs. J. Ii. Kidder, Mrs. &.
II. Russell, J, Il. Biddle speech by
'om. j. II. Goulding. song who will ,,
'ell the Story When the Boys are
lone, = speech, c. p. ellison and y. :
, Childs, song by J. II. Kidder. When
Bill was Mustered in" speech, Com. :
|. f. Taylor and Com. ". p, Carol. !
ong, Marching Through Georgia, :
peech. Com. Peter S. Chase and q. j. /
'ond, song Tramp the Boys are March =
ng, speech, Milton Powers and c. Nj. J.
russell. Com. II. L. Taylor told !
ow department Commander Cannon !
ad abored to make the Doth National =
such a pleasant and en- {
oyable occasion at Louisville on the !;
art of the Vermont delegation. and :
aid the whole department should :
now of his untiring labors. Then =
anne the closing of one of the most =
lccessful reunions ever held by the =
'indham county association. 1t was :;
lid. and it can be safely repeated, !,
lat it was one of the cleanest reun "
ms, There was not word spoken in q
~ of the speeches that the most sen q
tive could object to, Politics and E,
eligion were not meddied with, :,
oyalty to country and flag was a plat ",
rm good enough to speak on. 1t 81
as a pleasant reunion not only for the "
,terans of Vermont but those from -
e Granite state and the old Bay -,
ate as well as to more than 2OO0 -
hers who came out to welcome the 81
,ys in blue from 1861 to 1860, =,
Private |. ~ =,