Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-09-09
VERMONT IN THE WAR.
The Record of the Green Mountain state a
Proud One.

/ keVOIutlOn was a ermOuleTs Nllllau
French the monument to whose mem
ory in the little valley churchyard in
/ Westminster is one of the historic
/ land marks of the continent.
Ia the words of the psalmist, 'as it
was in the beginning, is now and ever
shall be-" the Vermont boys will al
ways be found at the front.
1t is doubtful if war with Spain
would have ensued even with the tre-
mendous provocation of the destruc-
tion of the Maine, had not Senator
Proctor visited Cuba and made a person
al inspection of the condition of affairs at
the presidents request.
He went. he saw, he came back and
told the people of the facts, and peace
was no langer possibility.
With Senator Proctor was another ma
tive Vermonter, born in Chelsea, Orange
county. That was Senator John NJ.
ThurstOn of Nebraska. He, too, went
and came back and told in the senate the
horrible things he saw there.
These were the thunderings around the
horizon while the actual dogs of war were
being loosed.
Soon the note of war was sounded.
A Vermonter, Montpelier boy, un-
known to the world, a sailor away around
on the other side of the world, jumped to
his guns. He was told to do certain
thing How he did it all civilization
knows.
In two hours he annihilated a mighty
fleet and made necessary a new geography
of the world. In torty-eight hours his
name was on every tongue in every land.
To day his record as warrior, states
man and diplomat is imperishable, and
while ne lives no man in any country will
receive more conspicuous honor.
At the same time another native Yer
monter, born in Bradford, was in COM
mand of the country's mighty battleshlp
in the Pacific. At an hours notice he
began that race against time around a
continent to take part in mighty events.
The voyage of Capt. Clark with the Ore
gon will forever be a naval incident of
the first prominence. The important
part taken by the Oregon in the mighty
naval victory oil Santiago is known by
heart by every American.
And then that other glorious old war
ship with its son of an old Green Noun
tain boy as commander, Captain Phillip
of the Texas Blood told there too, and
every Nermonter knows it must have
been because of the good old stock.
Dewey, Clark and Phillip. How is that
for Nermont's naval record, for state
that hasn't navy nor a drop of salt
water?
49, flauf nf
usually get what they go after, whether
it is on land or sea?
When it came to the land fighting, first
in prominence comes Shafter, the COM
mander at Santiago, also of V ermOnt an
cestry. Blood and tradition told in him,
too, and although seriously i'll at criti-
cal period, yet he kept at the front on a
stretcher and personally took charge of
the campaign, which ended with the
2 capitulation of Santiago. No name in
the Cuban campaign emerged with more
credit than that of Shafter.
The next name that necessarily pre-
sents itself to the mind of every Yer
monter is that of Dodd. Though posi-.
bly, not a Vermonter by birth, Capt
0 George Dodd is thoroughly ours by
: adoption and his long residence at Fort
Ethan Allen has made him hosts OF
warm personal friends in this vicinity
; and throughout this section.
Capt. Dodds dangerous wound in the
head while leading his men in one of the
Z severe engagements before Santiago only
: disabled him for few hours, and he wa:
again in the thick of the terrible fight
bo ne
the rumor Of its fatal ending, caused IN
tense anxiety and sorrow.
The personal record of Capt. Dodd a.
a fighter is unequalled by but few living
officers Of any army of the world, and il
eXcelled by none, 1t is a superb one, tn
admiration of our entire army and navy
That this admirable soldier has lived t.
return to us and in health is matter 70
profound qualification.
And of the First regiment, the field
line, rank and file, it can only be SAT-
that they have done their ddty nobl.
and we'll. Although it was their des
tiny not to be allowed to participate il
active hostlities, yet they responde
to the call early and eagerly, the
+ went as far as they could and wer
l. willing and anxious to go further. /
whatever they were called to do, the
: did their best. They wanted to do more
but it was not for them. Let ther
: remember that:
4 They also serve who,only stand and wait.
Col, Clark, Lieut.. Col. Mimms, clea
lSS down through to "the boys behind tn
6 guns" all have done nobly whateye
their hands were given to do.
/ And with this proud consciousness
8 they have once more returned to the
Il native state. Many are sick nearl
5 unto death, some have already gon
10 Just over there, some return In thei
! ! usual health but to all who have com
10 back 20 us the grateful hand of admiri
I ton and respect goes out. Let theI
I know that they did not 90 out in vail
E. that they did not accept the chance