Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-06-04
WELLS STATUE UNVEILED
Parade Followed by Exercises
ut Battery Park, with Patri-
otto Address by the
Rev. |. c. Smart.

DAYS imaginable. The parade OF
the 2nd cavalry, the university
battalion, the companies of the Ma
tional Guard, Sons Of Veterans. Spanish
War Veterans and boy scouts, acting as
escort for the thin ranks of the veterans
of the Civil War. was unusually complete,
and was viewed by hundreds of citizens
as 1t wound its way to Battery Park,
where the exercises of the day were held,
the latter including the dedication and UNI
yelling of the replica of the Gettysburg
statue of General William Wells.
THE PARADE.
The column was formed at two o'clock
on ST Paul street with wing resting on
Pearl street and Elmwood avenre, by the
marshal of the day, Major ]. VI. Ashley,
LIST regiment, National Guard of Vermont
and the following aids: Captain Ira L.
Reeves, Y. 8. A; Captain G. w. Grandy
LIST regiment, National Guard of Vermont;
First Lieut. Howard r. Smalley, 2nd
United States cavalry, and First Lieut..
and Adjt NJ. b. GIL, LIST regiment Ma
tional Guard of Vermont.
The parade was headed by the End Uni
ted States cavalry in command of Colone!
w. J. Nicholson with the following Off
GERS: Lieutenant Colonel Dickman. Chap
lain Fleming and Captain Harvey. The
mounted band followed. The second
squadron came next under the command
of Major John S. Vim, followed by the
third squadron under Major William f.
Clark. the first squadron under Major
Fenton and the machine gun troop, COM
manded by Lieutenant Coppock. Tho
appearance made by the second was fault
less. The cavalry was followed by the
university battalion. Major Adrian st.
John commanding, the sanitary troops In
command of Major F. f. Clark, NJ. D., the
Sherman Military band; James w. Flynn
Camp, No. Q, United Spanish War Veterans,
J.. w. Fennell commander; Company NJ.
LIST regiment, V. \. G.. Capt c. C. Girard
commanding; Company c, LIST regiment
v. N. G., Captain Max w. Andrews COM
manding.
Almost continuous applause greeted the
members Of Stannard Post, No. g G. A.
R, and the veterans OF the LIST Vermont
cavalry, led by George p. Martin, COM
mander They were followed by General
William Wells Camp, No 10, Sons of Vet
Grams. 1. c. Munson, captain, command
ing: the boy scouts, children of the public
and parochial schools; wounded and dis
abled veterans in automobiles and auto
mobiles containing Mayor James f.
BURKE, superintendent OF SCHOOLS NJ. ~
Chittenden, Principal John f. Colburn the
Rev. I. G. Smart, speaker of the day
other members of the clergy, members Of
the board Of aldermen and invited guests.
The line of march was up Main
street to Church. to Pearl, to Elmwood
avenue. to North. to Park to the south
entrance to Battery Park. At Battery
Park the men of the End cavalry were
iGt1 1iCgan wit he nf he
bugle corps. After the ceremony of
the unwilling the column was formed
on Pearl street and marched up Pearl
TO st. Paul, to College, to Stannard Me-
mortal hall on Church street, where
the old veterans passed through open
ranks to their rooms.
THE UNWILLING.
Until the moment of the unwilling the
statue was draped in the folds of two
great flags. Some distance south of il
and facing the statue was large
stand where the exercises were held
on the stand We're seated the donor OF
the statue Frank r. Wells, members OF
the Wells family and guests. the of
fcers of Stannard Post and LIST Yer
mont Regimental association, the of
fcers of the End cavalry, Nationa
Guardsmen, Sons of Veterans, the may
or and city officials and the speaker
of the day In front of the stand wer,
the members of the Stannard Post anc
the LIST Vermont Cavalry association
and the Sherman band, and the ban,
of the End United States cavalry
The exercises of the day were pre-
sided over by George p. Martin. chair
man of the general committee of Stan
nard Post.
The event that opened the after
moons program was the sounding o
ASSEMBLY" by George D. Sherman
Company II, 9th Vermont. Then tn
veterans of Stannard Post gave tn
formal salute to the dead, Prayer wa
offered by Rev. John f. Goodrich
chaplain of the LIST Vermont.
The exercises of the unwilling al
though short were particularly i'm
pressive. While the band played "Th
Star Spangled Banner" the two flag
draped about the statue were gradu
ally released by surviving relatives o
General Wells, Mrs. James w. Brock
sister, and Mrs. II. Nelson Jackson
daughter, assisted by Charles Wells an
Frederick II. Wells, brothers, the mem
beers OF the First Vermont cavalry actin
as escort AS the heroic bronze figur
was slowly revealed a cheer burst fror
those present, and one final fold of tn
flag draped itself caressngly about tn
shoulder Of the soldier while the wester
sun gilded the sword arm of the stalWar
military leader advancing to the charg,
THE PRESENTATION.
Frank r. Wells, the donor, then form
ally presented to Mayor James E. Burk,
representing the city deed transferrin
the title of the statue to the people {
| 1he city. Mr., Wells said
MIR Commander, your honor the mayo
my fathers comrades and friends; Fc
years it had been my mothers wis
and mine 10 have statue of my fath'
IN Burlington and now that that wish ha
come true / am indeed happy.
THE First Vermont cavalry is a reg
ment whose record has never been su
passed, General Sheridan told frier
of mine that when, as commander Of II
cavalry corps, he needed a regiment
whose valor fidelity and stubborn tigh
ing he could always rely, he called Il
the First Vermont cavalry
1T gives me great pleasure, therefor
y honor ~ Eirst Vermont eayalgy- 4