Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-10-02
| am frank to say we did not take so active
part in the engagement as some regiments

IA y n
but we were no. in position to do so, which
II the fault OF any one, was not ours pul
the necessary result OF the want OF proper
management on the part OF Gen. Wiinams'
We obeyed as well as We were able 81 the
commands witch came 10 my knowledge As i
we were directed to wait orders II certalRiy
would not have been proper TO move the
regiment forward to point where we might
receive the fire Of our friends as we'll as of
the enemy, result which bad, already
followed change ofposition as betoTe stated.
We did however, all We could 10 have cur
part in the fight which had every character
istic of free one; but We did not think il
advisable either to stand behind our friends
and receive the shots which might pass
through their ranks, or to attempt TO reach
the enemy by firing through the ranks OF our
| friends
When the fight was over we moved of
with the other troops and took position upon
a line selected for defense in case OF further
attack, occupying an important point in this
| line while the same was maintained, and
| after this was abandoned, when we began TO
fortify the ground near the arsenal, we built
the portion OF the fertilization assigned us and
defended the same while we remained there,
without having our courage or ability to do
80 questioned.
After Col. Paine of the 4th Wisconsin
came to Baton Rouge and took command OF
the forces, submitted to him my plans for
the defense of the points assigned me, aud he
always expressed himself satisfied with them,
and never, until after our arrival at New
Orleans, heard that anv officer Judged the
conduct of the regiment during the battle
worthy Of censure.
l have thus briefly as | might stated the
condition of the regiment and wha fell I'M
der my own personal observation during the
battle am informed by the officers who
were present that during my last absence of
perhaps twenty minutes, the regiment was
in front of our camps under sharp fre,
which was not returned on account of the DIFF
fculty of knowing il what direction to aim,
as the 2lst Indiana was supposed to be en-
gagged with the enemy in trent. AT this
point Gen. Williams rode up and directed
Col Roberts to fire into the woods before them,
which was Immediately done. Ii should
be borne in mind that by reason Of the dense
fog and smoke it was impossible to distin-
guish objects at any great distan ce, and the
men could at best only aim where they saw
the flashes Of musketry or heard the roar
of artillery.
1t was during this time that Col. Roberts
fell, and was borne from the field. After
firing few rounds, an officer of the 21st
Indiana, came out from the woods threw
down his cap and sword and cried q For
Gods sake stop firing you are firing into
u.s." 1t seems that one flank of our regiment
was partially behind the Indiana, so that a
portion of our men probably fred into them,
but there is no doubt that the main part o
our fire took excellent effect upon the enemy,
as afterwards'wa frequently asserted by men
OF the 21st Indiana. We ceased firing, and
being subject to severe fire from the enemy,
the men became somewhat confused, and
Capt, Porter of Co. c, gave the command to
retreat. 1t was during this movement that
joined them, and the remainder of the story
has been already told. sa H..
now propose to consider such parts OF
General Order No. 90, as relates to our reg l.
ment. 1t appears from the first paragraph
that Gen. Buffers object in promulgating it.
was, +" After carefully revising the official
reports of the action Of August 5th at Baton
Rouge, to collect the evidence of the gallant
deeds and meritorious services of those en-
gagged in that brilliant victory"
Every military man knows and every rea-
sonable civilian ought to feel the propriety Of
commencing such conduct as was exhibited
in conflict in which not more than 25o0 of
: our troops, afflicted as Gen. Butler himself
declared in General Order No, 81, by "Sick.
} ness from the malaria from the swamps Of
Vicksburg," had "repulsed in the open
} field force of the enemy of /" doubly SD
perior numbers !" but all will agree in say
, ing, even if there had been some slight cause
, of complaint on account of the conduct Of
any corps, especially one in relation TO which
Gen. Butler could afterwards say, as he did
of the 9TH Vermont, that he was satisfied it did
not lack courage, the course of brave and
f generous commander, who had in view only
t the unselfsh and unmercenary object Of
, exterminating this wicked rebellion and re
+ fleeing honor upon our arms and cause, would
!. have been either to have passed over the
t fault IN silence, or to have satisfied bimsel
/ and his sense of justice by a personal repri-
3 mand. such as in this case he really did
= infict npon the Tth Vermont, at the review
Z 1 on August 30th, the very day on which the
+ order was first published, without seeking tc
= parade its shame before the world. Blu
t upon reading the order it would seem that i
| was almost its only object to degrade anC
b disgrace the 9Th Vermont Infantry by charge
It which are really false and unfounded The
:, second paragraph of the order speaks il
Il terms of praise of Gen. Williams, as al
r admit a, brave man, but whose military man
| agement at the battle of Baton Rouge was no
e commended by the other officers engaged il
e the battle, but which, as the victory was our
o after bis fall, ought to be passed over il
s silence.
T. The next five paragraphs are as follows
II viz:
Col. Roberts, Of the eth Vt. Volunteer.
\ tell mortally wounded, while rallyIng hi
= men. He was worthy better discipline
regiment and better fate.
: Glorious as it is to die for ones country
J yet his regiment gave HIM the inexpressibl
> pain of seeing it break in confusion, whel
u pot prQaepd hv tho sv,d or, ~, n -