The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-12-08
SOLDIERS HOME
Report of Joint Committee on
Military Affairs.
Description Of Visit to Bennington In
stitution Received With Cheers
BY Legislators.

BY Legislators.
Montpelier, Dec S.-The feature of
Saturdays session Of the House was
the reading by the clerk Of the report
of the Joint standing committee on mil
itary affairs on its recent official visit
to the Soldiers Home in Bennington.
This report, was written by George w
Flagg, chairman of the committee.
Senator rlagg was present In the
House when the report was read and
when the House adjourned he was
warmly confratulated upon this re-
markable document, which was as fol
lows
To the General Assembly Of the state
Of Vermont;
Your standing committees on mill
tary affairs beg leave to report:
That on November 3 we took the
early train from Montpelier on our
way to the Soldiers Home at Benning.
ton When we arrived al Rutland we
were Joined bv John A. Sheldon score
tary OF the Soldiers Home, who accom-
panied us during the trip Hugh Hen
ry. the president OF the nome. failed
to join us on account OF the trains fail
ing to connect. Upon arrival Of the
legislative delegation at Bennington
at 400 p. m, We found ample convey
ance in waiting TO convey us TO the
home proper where Mr.. and Mrs.
Harmon gave us a cordial greeting
Your legislative committee immediate
ly began the inspection of the home,
first the out buildings stock and tools
hay and grain which were in the pink
Of condition
The home proper is a fine structure
well adapted to its needs for the old
veterans seemingly all that heart
could wish The hospital was crowd
ed with sick veterans who were in
such condition as to cause all to
turn away with sorrow, yet the nur-
ses were seemingly doing all that it
is possible for them to do.
The inspection having come to an
end We were invited to a beautiful
supper which all seemed to enjoy. AZ
ter supper we mingled with the old
veterans We found many old com
rades that were with us at the front in
bygOne days nearly one-half cen
fury ago We remained with them
refreshing each others memories Of
incidents Of the war until far into the
night when we started 70 comfortable
rooms which were furnished years
gone by by the patriotic ladies Of the
Woman's Relief Corps from various
towns of the state. Early morning
found US on our way towards Mont
pelier where we returned in safety
all feeling wiser as well as assured
that no state in the union is more 10y
al TO it's defenders of the union than
Vermont No state in the union treat
ed her brave soldiers as well-no
other state having paid its soldiers
seven dollars per month during their
entire service.
Should we as soldiers of the past as
we'll as citizens of today, feel that
Vermont is second 10 none in this
great union of ours, which we believe
has the best government on earth.
Again. voters and cltizens Of this beau
tiful Green Mountain state. let us ask
YOU what Of these eX-soldiers OF the
late war for the Union. Did they not
20 forth TO war for the union Of 1861
TO 1865? Did YOU who remember
those DAYS of the struggle for the Tn
ion. how proud YOU were OF the part
taken by the soldiers of Vermont?
Are not the soldiers of this home
represented on nearly all the great
battlefelds of the war; portion oil
these inmates OF this home We're on
those terrible war vessels which run
up the Mississippi river and battered
down the supposed impregnable iorts.
A portion of these men on the war
vessels which ran the batteries oil
Port Hudson and Vicksburg. the great
battles under McClennan on the pen
nsula. on the heights of Fredericks-
burg Again a portion of these old
comrades were with Sheridan in the
Shenandoah valley Now citizens OF
Vermont are YOU not proud Of the TACT
that when during the War of the Re
bellion and when the great city OF
New York rebelled against It's clvil
government. the authorities OF New
Work ms well as the government At
Washington, selected the old vermont
brigade as the most temperate the
hest disciplined and doubly sure no
lack OF courage.
Again these old veterans Of the
home were with us on that terrible
march of % miles from Maryland TO
Inc battlefield Of Gettysburg. Again
wero not these old veterans of the
home with us In the great battles OF
Inc wilderness, Spottsylvania the
bloody angle. the six months siege ne.
fore Richmond and Petersburg ana
the terrible charge on their works
April =. 1865. which caused the capt.
Nation of Richmond and Petersburg'
also the surrender OF lee and his ar
mv9 Also did not the southern Con
federacy cry out to the gods OF hner,
~ That "Hencerorth we will love ana
honor YOU for all time to conner
(Signed)
GEORGE w. FlAGG.
Chairman of the Committee on Mlll'
tary Affairs
(Signed) .,.
CROSBY A. PERRY
For the Committee on the House