Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-11-10
FIRST VERMONT NO MORE.
LAST COMPANY OF THE REGIMENT
MUSTERED OUT.
The Armory tho Scene of tho Final Cere-
mony-Reception aud Dinner by the
Ladies' Auxiliary of tho Y. nj.
c. A. Monday Evening.

llclu anu stan OHlCerS ana company NJ OF
the First Vermont Volunteer Regiment
from United States volunteer soldiers to
private citizens was performed at the ar
mory in this city Monday. The work
occupied nearly the entire day and even
at evening there were accounts to set
tie and other matters relating to the ar
fairs of the regiment to be closed. Com
.pany M was entertained with a banquet
and reception by the Ladies' Auxiliary of
the Y. 81. {. a. in the evening.
The process of mastering out the COM
pany was expected to be completed by l
O'Clock but 1t was just 3 o'clock in the
afternoon when Sergeant Wager stepped
from the ranks and placed himself before
the mastering out officers, who HANDED
him his salary for the three months and
seven days since the last visit of the pay
master to the company. Previous to this
there had been several muster rolls to sign
and innumerable teChnicalities tobc cared
for before the actual muster out cou.d
take place. Tho men received on an av-
crage about $50 each. Something like sl7.-
Gc was paid out to the company and the
field ana staff. OF this the company re-
Ceived about 5000. The men were glad to
be mustered put. Many of them will re-
enter the National Guard upon its re-
organization
There were several men from other
companies who had received permission to
be mustered out in this city. All the
members of Company NJ were present
with the following exceptions. Private
James Flynn. who died of typhoid fever
at the Fanny Allen hospital; Musician
clayton Rice. who is III at his nome in
Wcstford; Privates Howard and Green
cuCh, who are also i'll.
The mastering out OF the field and stan
was accomplished directly after Company
NJ had gone out OF service. Five of the
20 were not present. They were Lieut..
Daniel r. Curtin. adjutant of the second
battalion. who died in a hospital at Chat
anooga Major III. II. Lee. now of the reg
ular army; Lieut.. w. II. Sterling, who is
recovering from a severe Illness: Capt.
Harry Il. Chamberlain. who is now In the
regular army; Hospital Steward Will
liam Bailey, previously mustered out.
The reception and dinner given by the
Ladies' Auxiliary in the Y. NJ. &. A. rooms
to Co. NJ, Monday night was In every
feature n success. The company was
present almost to n man and a large num-
Der of guests visited the pleasant rooms
between the hours of 1880 and Q O'Clock to
congratulate the members upon their re-
turn and excellent record. The rooms
were handsomely decorated with great
flags. draped gracefully from walls and
arches. while palms and potted plants
were placed at intervals. During the even
ing the Howard opera house orchestra
rendered several selections and contrib
uted much TO the pleasure of the occasion.
The Ladies' Auxiliary may well be con-
graduated upon the success of their eff
fort.
The dinner given to the company at 6
o'clock was not an unimportant item to
the men. Close attention was given to the
v.andS, which were of the finest. and in
their contrasting abundance reminded the
soldiers of that scanty fare-the army ra-
ton.
NNHh~, ~ M ....r-l 49,
President w. Il. Howe of the Y. NJ. &. A.
called the ~assemblage to order and in a
few appropriate remarks welcomed the
guests TO the hospitality of the associa-
ton.
Hon. w. J. Van Patten responded in be-
half of the Ladies' Auxiliary and gave
words OF welcome to the guests. Mr.. Van
Patten comp.imented the company upon
its record in the campaign and spoke of
the hardships which they had endured.
In closing he said the experience would
make the members of the company better
and nobler men and counseled them to
always keep their records clean.
Capt. e. NJ. Brownell was called upon
to respond for Company NJ. He reviewed
the trip Of the regiment to the South and
its many and varied experiences. The
trip was an education. he said, which
could not have been so well received in
any other manner He said the men had
all learned that the world was all akin,
and gave anecdotes of the Southern sent!
ment. The gratitude of the mpan for
the food given by the citizens when they
left Vermont was expressed, as was the
grateful acknowledgment and pleasure al
the entertainment of the evening. Capt.
Brownell touched upon the disappointment
of the men at not getting to the front,
and said he believed a regiment needed
other qualities han a desire to fight.
Private Ezra Horton responded TO the
toast. The Enlisted Man in "a pleasant
manner with amusing references to the
rations and duties of the private soldier.
lie thought that If any of the men of the
company were ever placed in positions of
power they would never counsel war un
less it was absolutely unavoidable for they
knew Just what it meant.
Chaplain Day was the last speaker and
responded in a characteristic way to the
toast. The Regimental Postofice." In
the course of a bright and varied little
address Chaplain Day referred pleasantly
to his relations with Company NJ and IL
the kindnes of the people of Burlington
in matters relating to food for soldiers.
He said that when the troops arrived al
Chattanooga he thought they had enough
SANDWICHES to feed all the starving recon
centrados In this wide world. Some inter
esting statistics from the regimental post
office were given. Chaplain Day in clos
ing alluded to the love, sympathy and sup
port accorded the Vermont soldiery from
their homes and the help which he found
this gave them while in camp.
The dinner was brought to n close with
an invitation from President Howe to the
company to be present on Memorial DAY,
when they will be entertained at the Gus
tomary dinner of the Association to the
q A n