Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-04-27
VERMONT GRAND ARMY.
Introduction 70 Their History In ssI'hc
vermonter" by ex.(sov. Fred.
crick liOlbrook.

of the Grand Army Of the Republic!
You have warm place in the heart
of the writer of this Introduction, and
lie is always glad to meet you with
hearty handshakings and cordial greet
ings. As you pass along down the west
crn slope Of life, towards its setting.
NAV YOU be blcst with kind friends and
the comforts Of life to attend you. The
words Of the poet which the writer has
heretofore quoted to YOU, he cannot
forhear quoting again to you, they are
so applicable to you and your services
during our late CIVIL War for the pre-.
scrvation Of the Union:
20 beautiful. my country! ours once
more.
What words divine Of lover or Of poet
Could tell our love and make thee know
Among the nations bright beyond COM
pare?
What were our lives without thee7
" hat all our lives TO save thee:
We rcck not what we gave thee;
We will not dare to doubt the;
d, But ask whatever else. and we will
dare!"
The Vermont soldiers are distinguish
I'd for sturdy courage endurance and
.stcaIiness under fire, and were not
cxcelled in these qualities by those Of
any state. They proved themselves
worthy descendants of the "Grecn
Mountain Bows" Of old, that the race
has not degencratcd. but Is now, as OF
old, to be depended upon in any and
all emergencies Then. too. what re-
| srcctable and useful citizens these vet
Grams have been since the return OF
, ucoce, filing as many of them have
and stll do. important positions Of pub
. lie trust and usefulness. At tho out
break of the war of seco ssiOn the young
| men OF Vermont were ready at once to
volunteer their services as soldiers ~
| their country and rushed to fill the
! ranks called for rs fast as the success
| i've calls were made by the government
| authorities.
| The Vermont regiments fror, diiuc
| Ia time. as called for. we're flied by
voluteers. And when the last call came.
for 100000 militia, or drafted men the
Vermont quota of FIVE regiments under
that call was Quickly filed by volun-
teers instead OF draft men. which was
the only instance N any state. in which
the quota was thus filled. The patriot
that the time had not come for Il draft.
and the state authorities requested
leave from, the authorities at Wash.
ingion to fill Ncrmort'a quota under
that call which with volunteers in lieu
of drafted men which request was
granted.
| Tho people OF Vermont were much IN
| earnest for the preservation Of the
I-.,;c IL.
tellion. and never faltered in the slight
est in their patriotic efforts and her
Young men were ever ready to engage
in the conflict OF arms and go forward
as volunteers under each call from tho
government
At tho opening II the session Of tho
General Assembly of Vermont IL Oc-
toher 1851. the governor offered to IL
the suggestion that one-ha'f the ex-
pense If the war hc paid "as We CO." by
direct taxation. the other half TO he
raised by tho issuance and sale of
State bonds. payable at convenient times
in the future. The suggestion met the
approval of the Legislature and an act
was at once passed emtodying the propo-
s'tion. Bonds for one and one-helf mil
lions were issued and at once negotiated
at handsome premium, one-half Of the
expense Of the war being liquidated as
they accrued. The result followed that
at tho close Of tho war the war debt
Of Vermont was less in proportion TO
population and men and means FUR
nishcd. han that Of any other state
and Vermonts war deb. vas the first
State war debt paid off in full by any
state, and this 100 Notwithstanding
that Vermont paid her soldiers seven
dollars per month. in addition to their
monthly pay BY the general govern
ment.
So staUnch aud perseverngly ratri-
otto were Verronters and so deter
mined to conquer the rebellion that the
State sent very large per cent. of its
population to the front ard no more
sturdy and reliable soldiers were sent
from other States. Each regiment. in.
dependent company, or other forma.-
ton Of armed soldiers were composed
mostly of volunteers.
Vermont sent Il regiments Of infantry
100 men each. a regiment of 100 men
as heavy artillery a regiment of cav.
airy Of about 1.c0) men, three companies
of sharp shooters, three batteries OF
light artillery. and a large number OF
recruits to fill vacancies in the Older
regiments.
One Of the crowning acts Cf Vernon,
was the establishing of military hos
|pitals within the state for the treat
ment and cures of sick and wounded
soldiers Arrangements were mada
with the authorities at Washington b,
which at first was the providing Of q
caparious military hospital at Brattle.
bor" Tho government barrack build
nss on the camp grounds. Of which
there were many. were removed to Q
sheltered position on tho grounds, ar.
ranged in hollow square lathcd and
rlasttred walls. nice floors laid, pro-
Vidcd each with chimney. n bountifu
supply Of pure spring water brought tt
them. this is State expense: but sub
s.Iuen:ly 1t was reimbursed TO the
State by the government. after its med
ical inspectors had reported that Tho
percentage of cures at this hospital
WAS greater than ut that of any 4. s
hospital IN camp or other stations al
or near the front. The experiment wa.
81 satisfying that the government will
insly established another hospital at
Montpelier with like good results.
The secretary of war Pre- yided Tn.
State military agent for the seckins
out and transporting of sick soldier.
wherever found in camp or other hos
pitals with an order to surgeons il
charge TO deliver such sick Vernon
soldiers to said State agent to trans
port back to their State for hopta