Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-08

to those OF 1861. 1t is but n short time ago
that had a conversation with a veteran
of tho civil war and he told me that tho
men who went out in tho LIST Vermont reg
iment were the finest body Of men physi-
cally that had ever left the State. This is
the statement of man who served all
through the civil war. The requirements
for admission to the volunteer army to-
day are far more exacting than In 1851.
Each man In the list Vermont regiment
was examined by seven surgeons before
his acceptance. Nor do | incline to the
belief that the young men of to-day are
more dissipated than they were at that
period. | was warned before leaving the
State that dissipation was the one thing
l should have to fight against in my com
mand more than any other, but never did
l find it necessary to continc a man Of my
command in tho guard house for disspa'
ton, or any other cause.
THE National Guard was great hclr
to me. | had In my company about 30nen
who were. or had been, national guards
men. They knew how to pitch tents and
to use the buzzicotts. and there were just
enough of them to leavcn the whole COM
pany. They were of great assistance to
me In teaching the raw recruits something
of camp duty and camp dicipline. For i
man who was never a member of the Ma
tional Guard TO make the unqualified state
ment that the muster has been de-
moralizing farce, n weeks dissipation
which resulted In nothing beyond sweled
heads and impaired digestion, is a great
injustice and 1t seems to me unworthy OF
u man of Mr.. DORIS education and intelli'
gence. claim he IL not competent &c
judge on this point.
my experience with the National Guard
has been that the officers, from Gen
Estey down. have not Joined the organiza-
ton for the fun there is in 1t. They are
self-sacrfcing, earnest men who have
gone into the organization with the high
est motives If the National Guard is OF
no use, how was 1t that we were able &c
get the regiment differed and in CAM
ready for muster in within 10 days of the
Presidents call? The LIST Vermont regi
ment was among the first to enter tn,
United States service and 1t was due &c
this promptnoss that Col. Clark assumed
command OF the brigade at Chickamaugs
Park, acquiring this position by right OF
seniority. How could this have been ac
complished with no National Guard?
Nobody Is vain enough to assume thai
n National Guard officer Is equal, in tim,
Of war. to man educated at the cNpens,
of the government, a graduate of Yves
Point, ono who has devoted his entire If,
to the study of warfare. In his Her;,l,
article, Private Dorr says in speaking %
the volunteer officer: If he is a strict an,
severe disCipiinarian, II he should exac
swift obedience of his orders and stric
observance of rules and regulations. ther
he becomes thoroughly disliked by hi'
men, To this statement, ] wish most GER
ta!nly to take exception. 1t has been my
experience that an officer may be a stric
and severe dsciplinarian and exact swift
obedience of his orders and yet retain tn,
good will and respect of his men. An at
tempt has been made TO show that l at
/ tackled Col. Clark at this appearance be
fore ex-Gov. Woodbury.. I wish to refut,
any such charge. l was asked this ques
ton: When the regiment was withou
the State. was Col. Clarke with 1t enough
to effect its morale?' l answered No.
and added that when he was present, hi
influence was beneficial. In answer to tn
question DO you believe that what tn
regiment most needed was an efficient reg
mental commander I replied i do no
referring to Col Clark.
after commenting at some length OF
my testimony before the investigator,
committee, Private Dorr says: Assumin.
that all Capt. Brownell charges is true
what of it, In reply, would refer him t,
President Mckinley, who ordered the in
vestigatlon."