Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-06-05
HONOR TO THE DEAD.
TheYearly Tribute to the Nations
Defenders.

rial day were planned and executed in a
manner fifty commemorative the services
of those whose lives and deeds have made
such an observance possible. Each year
witnesses thinning in the ranks of the
surviving comrades but their zeal is un-
diminished and furnishes an object lesson
in patriotism which is invaluable to the
rising generations. A detailed account of
the proceedings is given herewith.
Detachments made their usual visit to
West Dummerston and to Vernon the Sun
day following and to the Guilford ceme-
terry the Sunday preceding Memorial day.
At West Dummerston the veterans were
addressed by Rev. Mr.. Bickford. AT Yer
non Rev. A. J. Hough spoke at the pavil-
ion in Central park.
Saturdays Exercises.
The exercises of the day began at West
Brattleboro where a detachment from the
post met in the forenoon. There was
flag-raising on the staff recently erected OH
the academy grounds by the Academy I'M
provement society. Prayer was offered by
Rev. j. II. Babbitt. The flag was hoisted
by Comrades Fisher and Prescott, and ad-
dresses were made by Col. Taylor and Post
Commander Chase in the presence of the
post detail and students and friends of the
academy. At the cemetery prayer was of
fered by Rev. +. S. Smith, and an address
made by Principal II. f. Miller. Follow
ing the address was singing by the children
of district No. D and a recitation by Miss
Eta Reed. The benediction was pro-
nounced by Rev. j. II. Rabbit.
At ? o'clock in the afternoon the veter-
ans assembled in front of their hall and
marched to the auditorium, preceded by
the First Regiment band, the Estey Guard
as escort, and the boys battalion. The
veterans and the Relief corps were seated
in body on the ground floor of the audi
forum, the galleries being crowded with
spectators. The stage front was massive
bank of laurel and cut flowers and pre-
scented handsome appearance. The ex-
ercises consisted of music by the band,
prayer by Rev. 4. S. Morse, selection by
a male quartet consisting of Messrs Bra
sor, Hawley, Stearns and Gilbert, after
which Col. II. f. Taylor as chairman of
the committee introduced the speaker,
Col. George w. Hooker.
Col. HOOISer's Address.
Col. Hooker's notable address, interest
ing and profitable, was not along the com
mon line of eulogy of our nations defend
NlS1 Dub was u hlSlOlJ vi lHG
from our own state, each regiment being
treated separately. Col. Hooker opened
his address by stating that Vermont fired
the first shot in the rebellion and then
gave statistical table of the regimental
losses of Vermont, compiled from Col.
Fox's and Col. Benedict's books.
There were over, he said, 1000 regiments in
the Union army. Among the 800 lighting
regiments, each losing over 100 men,
killed or died of wounds, were the I'd, Sd,
4th, 9Th, 9th, 10th, 18th, and 18th regi-
ments of infantry, and the lst regiment of
cavalry. Among the famous divisions and
brigades of the army the Old Vermont
brigade comes first, suffering the greatest
loss of life, having killed or died of wounds
1172 men. Its hardest fight was in the
Wilderness where it lost 1875 killed, 1917
wounded. Within a week it lost at the
Wilderness and Spottsylvania a total of
1915 out of $500 effective men with
which it crossed the Rapidan-a loss of IS
per cent. The 9TH Vermont lost the most
men at the battle of Savage Station. A
certain regiment had lain down upon the
ground and refused to advance. The 9TH
Vermont stepped over the regiment, pene-
trated the enemy's lines and encountered
a severe fire of canister on the flank. 1t
returned few hours later, Company f
having lost "A out of 50 men in line.
The ID regiment of 700 men lost 34S in
the battle of the Wilderness, in which bat
tie Col. Stone was killed and Col. Tyler
MORALLY wounded. The I'd regiment fired
the last shot of the 9th army corps at
Sailors Creek in the last campaign of the
Army of the Potomac.
The Sd regiment occurred the remarka-
BILE action at Lees Mills April 10, 1862,
when the gallant Pingree took four COM
panes ID, f, +, and X, over the Warwick
river, making a reconnaissance in force.
Through mismanagement they were not
supported and were driven back with Sc
we're loss. The regiment crossed the Rap
idan May 4, 1864, with 900 men. At Cold
Harbor, Colonel Seaver, who commanded
the regiment so CALAMITY at Marye's
Heights, again led a bloody assault with
less than 800 men in line.
The 4th regiment, at Fredericksburg,
December -, 1862, fought in the skirmish
line. Four men of Company b were
killed and IA wounded by single dis
charge of canister. At the Wilderness
Col. Foster took less than 600 muskets in
to action and lost 26S men, being severely
wounded himself.
luG OIu It's lISb nBlllluB az
Lees Mills, where five companies waded
the Warwick river, waist deep, under a
sharp fire. At the Wilderness Col. Barney
was killed while in command. Severe
losses were sustained at Cedar Creek and
in the battle of the Opequon.
The 10th regiment, in command of Col.
Jewett, was engaged for the first time at
Locust Grove. At Cold Harbor, under
Gen. Henry, it lost heavily, and at the bat
tie of the Opequon Maj. Edwin Dilling-
ham was killed. The 10th regiment made
the final assault and capture of the rebel
works at Petersburg April 2, 1866, and was
the first regiment of the Sd division, 9th
army corps, to plant its colors inside the
enemy's works.
The 18th regiment, the baby of all the
| Vermont regiments and which has been
said to have died almost before it was
born, was indeed baptized in blood. II
left the state, first as a battalion, in April
| 1864, then by companies and squads, and
in October, 1864, was all in the field. It's
second battalion drill was on the battle
field. 1t was in the Wilderness two weeks
after it left Vermont and was at Spottsyl-
vania the next week, at the time Major
Reynolds and five line officers lost theil
lives. The last battle of the 18th was in
storming the works at Petersburg.
The LIST Vermont cavalry-that regiment
of bold and fearless riders who fought il
over 10 battles and eight skirmishes an(
captured many battle-fags, cannon anC
prisoners its first fight May 25
1862, in Banks Retreat, Shenandoah Val