St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-09-22
Capt. French'S Address
At the Third Regimental Reunion last
Week.

given at their reunion on Sept. IA, by
Capt. Horace French of West Lebanon,
N. H.
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND COMRADES:
We are privileged to meet once more in
this goodly town of St. Johnsbury as
has been our custom for many years for
a reunion of the survivors of the old
Third Vermont to talk over the scenes
and events of nearly fifty years ago.
Here at Camp Baxter we were mustered
into the service for three years and some
of us later at the front enlisted for the
war.
Many have fallen by the way while we
are permitted to live and assemble here
year by year. If there is any grand
word in the kings English with which
to greet each other we want it and
we think we have just that word:
Comrade. No word suits the old soldier
any better. / knew new married
couple that always called each other
comrade and more loving couple |
never met. | wish there were more such
couples. Messmates, terminates, part
ners, chums, friends the word comrade
covers all the ground with the old
soldier. What l may say on this &C.
casion you will not expect to be new.
Nearly everything has been said that can
be said about the war in the years that
have passed since the rebellion. hope
to cali your minds to some of the bright
and pleasant memories OH this our
annual outing or visiting reunion. Our
fighting days are over or should be. AS
Burns says, "Our youth has passed. If
we had it DER again 'twould pass; it
might have been worse, so read your
Bible sir and mind your purse" We are
not as many as we were in 81, rem
nant of that great army which marched
to war, some of US through the war, and
those of us that survived have been
marching on ever since. The majority
have marched on out of sight over the
great divide, answered the last roll call,
mustered out for good count it a
great privilege to be member of this
rear guard where so many have fallen
out by the way on account OF failing
health or other misfortunes; we are still
in the ranks. Our lives and strength
have been left to us for some good pur-
pose. Surely something will be expected
of us noble and grand in return for this
great honor; still in the ranks, bringing
up the rear, privileged to help those who
need help, those who were with us four
long summers and four short winters
and have lived through it all. The
friendship or comradeship that exists be-
tween the old soldiers, comes from being
SO intimately connected in camp life..r In
dangers and in hardships that exist in
no other calling as in war; growing up
together, seeing our messmates and tent
mates pass from young, strong, healthy
Youths Just from the farms, the shops,
the schools and colleges, to bronzed,
hardened soldiers, marching with them,
messing with them, fighting with them;
together witnessing the wounding and
death of so many brave men. experienc.
ing the same hardships and dangers, this
experience makes the strongest of friends
This is why we love the word comrade
and have JOY in reunions and in helping
those whom time and fortune has dealt
less kindly with than with us.
These reunions bringing to mind the
deeds and happenings of nearly so years
ago-more than an average lifetime-art
looked forward to with interest. This
cannot be fully understood without hav
ing been soldier. Others may imagine
something Of it but to understand it one
needs to be in it. We as old soldiers ust
our memories-others use their imagin
atoms. Memory deals with facts
imagination has no bound or limit.
remember reading a most realistic
description of the Battle of the Wilder
ness-a man described himself as being
mortallv wounded in the stomach, gave
vivid account of the battle described
his feelings as he approached the enemies
lines, described how frightened he wa
when the firing commenced-how hi
fear all left him as the engagement be
came intense how his comrades fell al
about him, even against him as the,
went down, described his feelings a
death stared him in the face-every on
that read this description, every oil
soldier said, this man knows wha
he is talking about" | think his nam
was Stephen Crane. He had a powerful
imagination for he was not born unit
20 years after this battle was fought
He got some of the facts from old sol
diers who were in this battle, from me-
who had been wounded and brough
near deaths door This man with thes
facts that he had got by the hearing c
the ear using a strong imaginatio
worked up an account that seemed rea
good memory is a great blessing ii W
can cultivate memory OF the best D.
thinking and dwelling on the best, droT
ping the errors and evil, present or past
This will help us on the remainder OF GU
march, help US to enjoy these reunions
forgetting the failures and remem6erin1
the successes, thus we will magnify tn
blessings and disparage the troubles
real or imaginary many are lmaginlr@
You remember the old lady said that ST
had noticed that some of the worst thing
that ever happened to her never happ.el
ed. We, as soldiers or civilians, Will nm
about what we look for-if for troub
there is plenty and to spare; ii tor 6les
ings they cannot be numbered; IL Il
flowers the world is full OF them; II Il
weeds they are all about us; ii the bles
ings and the flowers fill our minds II
there will be no room for the weeds.
once knew a man that lived alone We
educated, we'll to do, eccentric, phllos
pher, good company, many visited MI
On one occasion he was called upon
two boys. After entertaining them
gave each of them a basket ano TO
them they could have dollar II tn
could Gil Aha l,oe1a+S one with tlOWe