The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-06-30
The Retreat Of the Vermont Cavalry.

The letter which We copy below rom the
trc> Press, explains itself
WINCHEsTBk, Va, June l., lS6.
MEsSEs EDITORS or THE FREE PRgss i no.
tict IN the weekly Free Press OF the 9th inst
what purports 10 be an account given BY Ma .
Sawyer OF our retreat from Strashurg The
writer says-clalming to speak for Ma jor ). -.
" he regiment proceeded without Inolc.tation,
until ABOUT threc-quarters of mile beyond
Cedar Creek they met the baggage ,rain retreat
ing in confusion with loose horses and mu les
struggling men Leading horses, and great dis
orderly jam, &c Now venture 10 say that
MAJOR Sawyer is mlsrepresented. lie nsver
couu give any man right to say that the
march OF the reg meut was INSTRUCTED by our
tram, or any other, for tho reason that no such
thing occurred. Tn. facts are these The bag
gage train was taken across Cedar Creek early
in the morning of May oath, by orders from
headquarters the teams we're formed in line
facing the road, so as to be able to proceed 10
the from, or rear, without the confusion likely
to arise in making a full turn, as it was now
certain that the enemy was in force on both
sides OF US, and 1t was uncertain which way we
should find 1t necessary to proceed. This posi-
ton was maintained throughout the day, and
was approved by the commander-in chief, and
later by another General. About ten o'clock
word came that the trains in front were cut off
and we should soon be attacked. This caused
slight furry, which word from my wagon
master G. P. Stone of Company f. instantly
quoted. About o'clock battery Of four
guns, followed by our regiment under Col
Tompkns as support, came up and took po
sition short distance 10 the right, and front of
our train. The firing was brisk for over half
an hour, when the battery, being threatened by
a flank movement of the enemy, which be could
make under cover of the timber where cavalry
could not act, was forced to timber up and re-
tire. This it did followed by our cavalry, pass
ing in an unobstructed road within one rod of
tho line of trains. When the regiment had
passed, the train was pnt IN motion, each driver
taking his proper place in the line in the most
perfect order. We had No sooner commenced
to move than the enemy's skirmishers show ed
themselves emerging from the timber within
half rifle range, and the hiss Of bullets soon
became familiar but not oven now did conf1-
sion arise proof of which | will say tina,
three drivers dsmounted to chain their wheels
in descending steep hill
Before reaching the Greek one man was shot
in his hand, and one horse fell by the same vol
lsy-0f course he left his team and, am happy
to say, escaped. His name is John Huse of Co.
9. -Four teams crossed the stream unhurt, the
others got into the water, where several horses
fell by the fire which was poured in by largely
increased numbers; there bsng now from Is to
100 within 20 10 rs rods.
Still not man lett his seat while his horses
kept their legs. When one horse fell another
was cut loose and the driver would mount and
be of. In this way seventeen horses out OF sew
enty-six were saved.
When the passage through the water was OBJ
structed by dead or disabled horses the order was
given TO the drivers to save themselves by cutting
out each a horse for himself; and | have reason
to hope that all are alive, though two were
wounded and four are prisoners.
Now ask is il not hard, that men whose pp-
stlon fOrbids the thoughts Of a soldiers laurels
after exhibiting such devotion to their trust
8 ould be made conspicuous, as having contrib
uted by dsgracelul flight 10 the disasters of the
day?
| have written nothing on hearsay the whole
movement was made under my own observa ton
and direction and again assert, that no OBJ.
structon by wagons, horses, mules, or men WAS
met by either artillery or cavalry IN their APP
proacb to the scene of action near Ceder Creek
at the time referred to. AS. Dewey.