Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-08-18
Vertnout's TrOODs.

been In camp since the last week in May,
and It's members will in all probability
soon he mustered out of the service. Nheh
war with Spain became certainty YER
mont was among the first States to oner
troors TO the national government. Our
commonwealth demonstrated its patriot
ism by contributing q full regiment under
the first call Of President Mckinley Tor
troops, although our quota under the eau
was several hundred men lcss@than rcgi-
ment.
! Gov. Crout promptly called the Legisla-
/ ture in special session for the purpose or
providing for the equipment of the regi-
mcnt and the placing of our troops at the
disposal of the government and in his
message directed attention to the extra
compensation granted by Vermont to her
soldiers in the war OF the rebellion. The.
Legislature responded by voting to allow
each Vermont soldier the sum of seven
dollars per month during the period Of his
service for the United States, and the
treasurer OF the State was authorized to
borrow on the credit of the State "a sum
not exceeding two hundred thousand dol
lars, for the purpose of defraying the ex-
penses of the government and paying such
app OPERATIONS as are hereby, or may 9TH
erwise be- made"
The men who volunteered to represent
Vermont in the war were ordered into
camp at Camp Olympia" near this city
to prepare for service and receive their
equipment. but almost Immediately the
national government assumed direct con-
troll OF our troops and ordered the regi-
ment to proceed to Chickamauga our
troops were therefore obliged to leave the
State before they could be provided with
uniforms and their full equipment. The
regiment was then in the United States
service, and the general government eX-
pressly assumed the direction as well as
the expense of equipplng our troops, which
work was to be completed at Chickamau-
ga
That the State of Vermont and the mem
bers of tbs First Vermont regiment did
their part is evident We furnished more
than our quota under both calls issued by
the President for troops, and it was the
fault OF no one in our State or among our
troops, that Vermont was one Of the if-
teen States whose troops were not ordered
, to the field The men were ready and anx-
ous to go to the front, but failed of an
opportunity to distinguish themselves
| in action, fact which probably no one
, can possibly regret more than the mem
p bers OF the regiment themselves.
: That our troops were not fully equipped
| for service while at Chickamauga is now
hut 60 Ia,
, justly laid at the doors of any one in Yer.
mont, any more than can other mistakes
and failures to anticipate the wants anc
, necessities of our soldiers in camp and or
the field OF battle We are not inclined tc
, excuse or apologize for the officers respon
=, sble for the long delay OF equipment ant
! perhaps for the inaction of the Vernon
troops. Judging from the experiences o
p the soldiers sent to Santiago the war de
partment had more than it could do II
r caring for the men in actual service, lie
n alone the thousands remaining in the diff
T. ferent camps. The war department ha,
n ample funds at it's disposal and abundan
n supplies, so that the fault lay altogethe
y with those whose duty it was to anticipate
, the needs of the soldiers and to distribute
equipment and supplies.
= But in spite of the discoura ging cordi
Il tons surrounding our men at Chickamau
+ ga the men maintained their spirit an,
. eagerness for active service until Spain
I peace proposal made a cessation of hostili
: ties a practical certainty. Then Gov
n Grout made an official request to the sec
# rotary of war that when peace Is agar
/; established between this country am
II SPAIN so that the Vermont regiment Is n
e longer wanted for war purposes, | trus
l. it may be returned and mustered ou
Is among the first troops you feel at llbert
to spare"
Il The reasonableness of this request wi
l. readily appear upon "A moments consider
l. alton of the situation. Military glory sue
"a as the soldier seeks Is not to be gained 1
garrison OF police duty. Battle for HON
= and country has never appealed in vain I
G Vermonters but 1t was not for garriso
o duty that Vermont voted to pay he
W troops extra compensation Garrison dut
W for which hosts of men can be hired for
10 comparatively small sum, might be pleas
IF ant for some of our Vermont boys pre-
re vided their sentry paths lay in peasar
r places; but the taxpayers Of Vermont d
8 not care to pay $1,000 a month or $40 pc
10 annum for police duty in Cuba or in on
s. newly acquired possessions. The governo
II requested the return of the Vermont reg
ment because its services We're no longs
needed and because the health OF the me
and the sanitary condition of their cam
suggested the need of change The r,
q quest needs no apology in the eyes of tn
in people OF Vermont or of the nation, but
tn is significant that so good patriot q
~ Speaker Thomas b. Reed made q simila
~ request In behalf of the Maine troops.
,g While our troops have not enjoyed II
in opportunity to distinguish themselves c
he the field of battle no delinquency can
IL charged against either tho regiment
a" the State. Both have stood ready to {
ad their full duty II our Vermont boys Ia
on been called TO fight they would undoub
on eddy have acquitted themselves as mob
nv as did their fathers In our two wars I,
independence and the war for the pr
es servation of the Union. They offer,
OF their lives as well as their services ar
"a more no man could offer.
,r- 1t will be remembered that the Legi
p- lature in extra session passed an act pr
10 viding that, The First Regiment N
"' tional Guard of Vermont, though giving
re- its name and position for the time by VI
unteering for service in the United Stat
army. shall uDon its return from said ne