Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-02-10

Sunday Feb. u, will be the 1929 ami
versary of Lincoln's birth AS our public
schools have much to do in remembrance
of that day, SO an old soldier, looking
back through the mist of nearly half
century into the real scenes of camp life
and into the smoke of battle, rejoices
that peace has smoothed out many of
the rough paths of war and spread n
greensward over the battlefield once
crimson with the blood that was the
price of liberty TO be exact in speaking
to the boys and girls of the public
schools, it will be As years April that
l first saw Abraham Lincoln. l was at
that time a soldier boy in the old YER
mont brigade, in camp al place called
White Oak Church, Va. The place derived
its name from a little church built of
white oak logs There are many Yer
mont soldiers who will recall the scenes
Of that winter cap, with all its amuse-
ments. Early in April activities began
which soon put an end to any of our
camp sports. Regimental. brigade and
division drills and reviews. small and
great, followed one another in rapid sue
cession.
About this time President Lincoln
came down from Washington to see Gen.
Joseph Hooker, commander of the Army
of the Potomac. and to review the army.
on April G, 1868, the President reviewed
Oak Church. on April s a cold, chilly
wind prevailed and Virginia mud was
abundant as about four inches of snow
fell on the night of April (. Although
the next day was Sunday 1t is needless to
say that most of the soldiers devoted
more time to snowhalinE than to their
religious duties 1t is also true that the
chaplain Of the regiment was absent on
that day. Chilly winds and mud did not
delay us In our march to the review at
Falmouth village located on the north
bank of the Rappahannock. a short dis
tance above Fredericksburg. Falmouth
was the scene of much military activity
during the war, for several great battles
were fought nearby and thousa nds of
wounded soldiers from those battlefelds
passed through there on their way to
the hospitals. 1t was at this place that
I first saw the great Lincoln. Words
cannot tell what a lasting impression 1t
made upon my mind. President Lincoln
a tall. plain, unassuming statesman and
soldier, dressed in a dark suit of clothes
rode horse beside Gen. Hooker i'm COM
pany with many other generals all
dressed in all the pomp and show that
gold lace, brass buttons, gay uniforms
and all the paranhernalia that military
rank could bring, and $4,000 muskets
giared in the light of a MONDAY sun. in
the hands Of skilled soldiers. while mar
tial music filled the air on all sides
The scenes of that day long since
passed into history, but their memory is
stu fresh in my mind Gen. Hooker and
more than a score of other generals who
rode in that review have passed down
the broad military avenue of life beyond
the outer picket line and are at rest,
while thousands of those brave soldiers
VINO marched in that grand review sleep
on Mayre's Heights, near Fredericksburg
The cemetery there contains the graves
or l5,O66 Union dead, including 2465
known officers and soldiers. Sixty-six of
these are Vermont soldiers, while the
sad inscription Unknown" is read on
12.60l graves. The poet expresses the
soldiers sentiment:
Rest on, embalmed and sainted dead,
Dear as the blood You gave;
No impous footsteps here shall tread
The heritage of your grave
Nor shall your glory be forgot
While fame her record keeps
OR honor paints the hallowed spot
Where valor proudly sleeps"
Lincoln too, has gone, mourned by
the whole nation. loved by all who knew
him, enshrned in the memories of all old
soldiers living today. Abraham Lincoln.
thy fame shall last while time rolls on.
thy deeds remembered now thou art
gone!
PRIVATE l.