, 1862-04-24
THE SIEGE OF YORKTOWN.
Bravery Of the Green Mountain
Boys.
Union Loss IS Killed, 1876 Wounded
and Missing.

(Cor n T. Tr1bune,1
LEES MILLS, W., April II, 1894 recon-
noikarce was made about mile northeaet Of
Lees Mills yesterday, which, in the severity
Of lighting It involved, may be properly rank-
At half past sn O'Clock, Companies E, F,,D
and F, Of the Sd Verm1nt began the work as
ski1mishcrs, Motifs battery Supporting them
With very accurate fire Of shot and she'll
The Fermontsrs skirmished until noon when
they were relieved. The fire had been very
acurate. The rebel braggarts who began danc-
ing on their ramparts, and swinging their hats
and defying our troops in the customary south
crn military fashion, were dropped SO rapidly
by the sharp-shooters as to be soon cured Of
this style Of warfare. The four companies Of
tie Sd Lid down after dinner and thoroughly
rested themselves. At o'clock in the after
neon they were called up, formed into line,
and told by their Colonel in pithy speech
that the work expected Of them was to charge
ACROSS the creek and take the enemy's in
batteries numbering - pieces, were under
the command of their accomplished artillery
o11iccr-covered the Vermonters' advance
They marched steadily ut the quick to the
run. The wafer decpened unexpectedly. The
men we're soon 7adiDg to their breasts, their
cartridge boxes slung up on their shoulders,
and their mIskets held up high The mo-
ment they entered the stream, the rebels
swaEmcd on the edge Of thcir Tiae-pit, and
- r:1ined ire Of bullets on the advancing line
The stream, rs damned, Was about twelve
rods wide. The Vermonters loaded and tired
as they waded. Their killed and wounded
began TO fall from the instant Of entering the
water Many of the latter were sustained By
their arms and the collars Of their coats, aud
so helped across and Laid down on the
opposite side: The Sd, as soon IS
I'd -hrt
ccivcd the order to 4'chargc!' With yell,
with true Green Mountain ring in il, they
dashed at the extended rife pit At least q
regiment Of rebels broke from behind it, and
ran into the 1cdoubt IN the rear, leaving the
Fermontcrs in the pit. For at lcast an hour
they fought from here against overwhelming
numbers, receiving rginforcenlcnts in that
time, first OF four companies Of tue 9th Yer
mont, and afterwards of four companies Of
The 4ih Vermont. They shot their foe princi-
pa11y through the head, and SO superior WAS
their fire, aud their pluck SO impressive, that
into the fort, and into a danking position on
the left Of the rife pit. Exposed nov to q
cross.fre as well Us an increased fire in front,
the EeTmonters, though they wanted to stay,
had to 50. In good order, covering them
selves behind trees, aud fighting as they went,
al their wounded whose condition at all pro-
missed survival Of their hurts Many were
low shot in the water and dro wued beyond ill
possibility Of help. Tie language Of I. La
1noille County boy, not sixteen years old,
:. Why, sir, it was just like eap-boiling in that
ssrcaln-the bullets fell SO thick" IS SO ex-
rressiye that use it as measure Of iutcnsi-
~ These brave men having backed out OF tho
Gccu water, formed on the dry land and began
the fight anew, while many, not detailed, but
volunteering through impulses Of soldierly
devotion and personal affection, dashed iuto
thc stream again and dragged out the wound
CO, WHO were clinglng to tie trees and sitting
with their heads just out Of wafer. Julian 4.
scott, OF the sd Vermont, company E, under
slxtct years Of egc, was one Of these heroes
He pulled out no less than nine Of his wounded
comrades, He twice went under fire way
across Tue stream. and brought back from the
slope Of the rifle pit John Z. Beckum OF his
own company, who was shot through the
lungs. Ephrain Brown, who was heln-
ing him, was himself shot through the thi15l,
in the inside, and disabled. Scott waded back.
Ike the boy hero he is, brought him safely
over.
It was sight to come all the way from New
York to see-the mastery manner in which
Capt Ay1es saved the 4IA Vermont's four
companies from the fire OF the rebels, who
sNarmcd more than regiment iull III their
71he-plt. The moment he saw them form for
. charge, he rode to every gun and di1eclcd il
to be sighted SO as to shave the top of the
orrastwork, aid then, IN the naynttic man
ner which distinguishes him In tho 1ield,
required his command to serve the -
lieees with the utmost possible rapidity. This
fire was literally besom Of destruction. The
shells burst with precision within u few lnvhc.
Of the top of the parlret, aud over it. The
4th's companies Hcrc saved by it. The rebels
dared not lit themselves, OF even elevate
their hgads above the edge Of their breast
work to fire down on the Fcrnonters in the
creek. Their guns necessarily were discharged
at IN upward angle, and their fire utmost
Wll0lly thrown away.
As I'LL evidence Of the terrible accuracy Of
the fire Of Ayres' battery, which silenced every
rebel gun, thu effect OF four OF his shots is very
significant. 4 rebel regiment was moving st
right angles to his position. He fired conf
cnl ball ut the tllc in which the flag vas clr-
ritd, cut down the whole He and threw tho ii,r
to The earth. The other three shots, equally ei,
fectiye, scattered the regiment like smoke The
naval MAXIM is established that three guns ia 3
battery arc equal to one hundred af1oat. The
proportion OF power between those in cmb71-
sures,. against those 10 position in an open
field is nearly as great. When we consider
case shot, from level corn-tield, against a
large and exceeding strong work, Bilenced eT-
cry gun in it, weaean appreciate the marvellous
skill and siencc With which this officers justly
celebrated battery is worked. Every shot took
effect within the emhrasures and over thu enc.
The rebels away from Their guns, and furnished
new and most interesting fact in tue history
Of artillery warfare-the possible superiority
OF guns IN Plain over an equal number pro
1ccted By eaIthworks.
Among the phenomena Of tho fight was the
condition OF the uniform Of Captain Bennett
Of company Il, of the Sd. 1t had eight bullet
holes in it. One through the collar of lis
coat, one through tic rIght Goa. sleeve, one
through his pantaloons below the left knee
cne through both panta1oons aud drawer;
shove the right knee, and four through the
sk1rts Of his coat. There was not scratch
upon this mans skin.
Tic sharpshootipg was marvellous. Ten
'sen with the telescope rifle, kept the feoelt
two Eonrs away from their largest gun. Ever3
l,!an who came near it was Killed. 1t was ut
'triy useless for that long time. The rehe
commander had finally to drive up an en1irt
r giment to the piece and man it by superior
!fy OF numbers--moTe gunuers than could bt
killed. 1t vas fred thus four times, when
slot fr'm henncdySs battery dismounted it
lne value OF sharp-shootefs is demonstrated
fact IF thn greatest mil