The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-01-09

HOLD A
REUNION
Survivors Of Burnside Expsdl-
tIon and Guests Enjoy Ban
quetand Listen TO Addresses

The 10th anniversary OF the Burnside
Expedition was celebrated. last evening,
In the parlors Of Victor Gelb on West
minister street, and about 120 veterans.
survivors of the 4th and 5th Infantry and
Battery f, Light Artillery. Rhode Island
Volunteers, We're present.
Among the distinguished guests present
were Gov. kimball. and Rhode Islands $
war governor, William Sprague; also
Chaplain j. j. Woolley of, Pawtucket
Capt. Walter A. Read Of the 4th Rhode
Island Volunteers, Judge Douglass, late
captain OF the 5th X. 1. ". Mayor j. r. r.
Bucklin' Col Philip $. Chase. Hon.
Charles Il. Brayton, Dr. Albert Potter,
formerly surgeon OF the 5th Rhode ISL
and, Col. James Moran. Department Com
mander Charles p. Moies and Major John
wright, who was distinguished AS being
the only commander present
The veterans and their distinguished
guests enjoyed a substantial banquet. af-
ter which Colonel Moran introduced
Captain Read as toastma ster, who. I'm re-
sponse to the complimentary words OF
Introduction, referred TO the achieve
ments OF the Union army in '62 and de-
clared that the Burnside expedition
ecipsed any previous movement In the
war.
Gov kimhaA was presented as the first
speaker and he enlarged briefly upon the
names or distinguished men which phodo
Island furnished I'm the davs of the Civ,i
war. notably General Rodman whose
memory he said. should be kent green
"hether ne wore the stars OF a major
general or marched in the mud with The
boys" WIN 'He
= Among the other speakers were ex-Gov.
Sprague' Judge Douglass. Maj J. r. p.
Bucklin, Sergt Albert r. ShoIes col
chase, Rev. j. j. woollev. DIR Aihert
Fotter' Major Wright, Gen. BRA vton
CharIes y Moies and Col Moran.
ne folIowing preamble and resolution
ofered by Col Moran were adopteS.
whereas: In n book entitled ..DIc-
eivinsy & on american History-1492-lS95, /"
ol history; Written Concisely and Ar
rranged Alphabetically I'm Dictionary
Pgofe:ssoyy P1ofn: oy q; tranklin Jameson. Ph. u,
sly, appears paragraph. on page 444.
Mhlch purports TO be an account of New
bern, N: c. as follows:
New Berne. or Newbern ar ona ,ir,a
capltal OF the province Of North Carolina
was founded about 1893, by Christopher
GS t5s SSr,eisIreid S,S.ii , a Swiss baron. During
seaport In the possession of the Confed~
srales. IL was captured and partlv burned
DS ,sSco the Union leader Burnside, March a.
L''-- nv EunDOHIS EnNIien the WOOHc "a q
burnside advanced, thereby clearing the
way An insignificant fortification was
destroyed near the town. Burnside can
& &aurYu lorty-slN guns, three light batteries
aanu large amount of stores. Later, in
1864. Newbern was occupied by tho federal
general. Foster, with n small force. pick
ett commanded the Confederates I'm that
section Feb. l and 2 he attacked Fos-
ter outposts and captured them. inflict-
ing slight loses. Then he assaulted the
Union main encampment. sending at the
4 "a rfFFNsnv e.. -
erHl gunboat "Underwrighter" then w.
ing at the Newbern dock Little was
accomplished by these attacks and Pick
Whereas. in the foregoing. OF what IS
put forward as facts of history there IL
at least four false or Inaccurate state
iIne11s ineii.s maze: maze First Burnside. the Union
leader, had nothing 70 do with the burn
ing, or partial burning. OF Newbern. eth
er by giving orders or that any OF his
force set II on fire. The Confederates. I'm
their rttreft from md through the town.
set fire 70 the bridge crossing the Trent
river and To the buildings DESTROYED The
town was saved from destruction by a
detachment OF tho Fourth Rhode Island
and men from the gunboat Louisiana
Second, the fortihcations destroyed. =" or
rather captured, while not what be called
formidable. were anything hut "insiEnii-
can't" Earthworks and rifle pits extend
ing In line for about two miles mount
ing forty-six heavy guns and three light
batteries, hanked by "a navigable river on
swamp on the other. protected I'm front bv
an abbeter of felled timber about ffty
yards wide. extending the whole length
or the line OF defence. and manned by a
number OF men fully as large as the at
lacking force, cannot be termed with
truth. especially historical truth. "lnsig-
niticant" Third. Gen. Foster was not in
Newbern during the time OF Pickett's at-
tack In the first days OF February 1861.
Gen. l. n. Palmer was IN command OF the
town and force stationed there. Fourth,
the gunboat "Underwrighter" was not
lying at the "Newbern dock" when at
tackled by Confederate notilla OF small
boats. but was az anchor In the stream,
I'm the Nense river. I'm her regular posi-
ton OF assignment. Therefore. be u
Rhode Island OF the Burnside Expedi-
ton" wish 60 place on record our protest
against such false. loose and inaccurate
statements as Is contained in the Die
uonary OF American 1Fistory" I'm the para
graph relative 20 y, vhern and its cap
Gen. Burnside and IN relatl " 60 its occu-
pancy by the Union forces while the war
continued. Cen Burnside. or the forces
under his command. were not town buru-
ers, farm burners or barn burners. b"t
mon ergared iu strictly honorable and
rights Of non-Combatants and of private
property. and we desire 10 emphasize, as
fer as iu our power. our uiEaOprOFal OF
such statements OF pretended factf IN
any work claiming 20 be recital - facts
nf history. such pretended histories are
a danger and menace % che proper cdu-
cation Of the youth 81 the country. and
are becoming TOO common. not only In
relation 90 the war for the ruaintni mace
of the Union. but also on other subl-Cta
equally important.