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

Below We reprint portion OF letter from
Capt. Plat OF the CnItteudcn County Com
pauy to his father, giving an account OF his
participation III the recent retreat down the
Shenandoah Valley. We lind the letter in the
Burlington Times:
We were then ordered 10 take our position on
the PIKE, and there we were compelled u walt
for the Wagons u pass, until the enemy had cut
US off from the main body. Major Collins was
commanding us at The time. Inc order was
then given by Gen. Hatch to " draw sabre and
move TORI ald. lie immediately Turned IN. head
OF the column to the lets, and avoiding the pike
saved neal ly II not All vi ms cVIlndnQ but NJ j.
Collins, hot bearing Or misunderstanding the or
Ger, gave the Ur4cr 10 - Charge. The roads
were 50 dusty, We could hot SEE what WAS ahead
OF Us. / could not even sc the man ahead of
M. Tins accounts for not seeing where the
General Il ID gone with ms command
Well, we charged three separate times down
that pike, and three times were brought to a
halt by the baggage wagons, The two first
blockades we managed to pass by filing to the
right and left, bat The last time there were four
wagons joined together completely blocking up
the road. 1t was here hat very many OF the
poor boys Were kllIel. Many more were thrown
from their horses, and killed by the horses run
ming over them. Here, for the first time, the
dust cleared away SO that could see about me
La front WAS the blockade Of baggage wagons
on the right stone wall, and behind it one ful!
regiment OF rebel infantry not ten rods distant,
and to the right OF the infantry five companies
Of rebel cavalry, and the three brass six pound
ers spoke OF before In the rear the road was
blocked up with our cavalry, 80 there was no
retrcating. On the eft was u hlgh stone wall,
aud behind 1t about forty rebel cavalry, but no
infantry | had just time 70 discover our posi-
ton when a rebel cavalryman saw me, and saw
that was an officer. He Immediately Jumped
his horse over the wall mo the pike ana RAISED
his carblne to shoot me; but fortunately there
was u baggage wagon between US. | leaned for.
ward on my horse, dropped my sabre, and
snatched my pistol IRON my holster cooked it
and raising myself suddenly, fired. The ball
struck him III the breast, he dropped his car
bne, threw up his hands, exclaimIng NV God
and rolled IRON his saddle. | rode around the
wagon 10 assure myself that he was dead. | do
not think he moved alter he struck the ground
Ia the meantime the enemy were firing yolleys
oil musketry upon US and their battery opened up
on Us With shell and grape shot then gave the
order to take the stone wall to the left, turned
my horse thai way, and he took the wall with
out touching it. In the field met Lieut. Ed
warus, and together with nine men we took to the
woods. Lieut.. Edwards showed great courage
and GOODNESS throughout this pane My own
and many OF the men were Spattered with blood
but strange TO sly we were none Of US Injured
We kept in the woods and ON bye roads, cat
of sight OF the enemy, and arrived at W lnchest
er about . CLOCK, p. NJ, and there found a
lew more OF my men, 50 that coulu muster
eleven men all told. | expected to find many
OF my men with the regiment the next morning,
but IN this, was disappointed. They had not
seen them. This | think was the saddest morning
of my life, to think that had led into the bat
tie held but the day before about eighty as good
and brave men as ever entered the field, and they
had AL been sacrificed save eleven. This was
on Sunday. On Tuesday | learned that Col
De Foresl Of the Ira Harris cavalry, was coming
over the mountain with twenty five or thirty OF
my men, assure you, this was day OF re-
.jolclng in camp. The Colonel brought IN be-
tween 200 and 300 of our Regiment, the most
OF whom We had given up TOR lost
| have now hty-two men IN my company.
There are still u good many missing. am In
hopes there Will be more IN, but 1t looks rather
gloomy as the days pass without any more addl-
tions to our little band.
May 30
have just heard from l.. l.. Sbonion from
South Hero He ls safe but wounded in the
thigh. | think not seriously
Colonel Tompkins has gone to Washington to
gel some arms, camp and garrison equipage, Sc,
Tor the regiment, aud | am left In command.
We are expecting another battle every day, but
have been re enforced 80 that we can hold our
ground think. | d. not think can get leave
of absence now, nor do wish to, il we are going
back soon, for would like to 90 up this Val
ley once more. | DO not think the soldiers will