Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-09-19

copy of General Order No co." pub.
lished in the Daily Delta of this date,
by order of General Butler.
BY this order, verified by speech by
Gen. Butler at a review this afternoon
Vermont will learn that her 9TH regiment
of Green Mountain Boys have been de.
prived of their colors for cowardice at the
Battle of Baton Rouge, La, August 9th,
1862, and that we stand before our ma tive
State and the armies of the Union, dis
graced for the asserted reason that in the
heat of battle we deserted the Stars and
Stripes; and like towards fled the field of
conflict and death. This is the charge
the edict has gone forth, and our brave,
but Heaven knows, fated regiment, tomor-
row marches forth stripped of the old
flag we worshipped-aye, and for which
hundreds would die,-prcsented us by
Gen. Washburn, as we stood knee deep in
the SHOWS of our mountain State, only to re-
gain them, by the enactment of drama
wherein grim death triumphs in every
scene.
The allegation is unfounded and unjust !;
the disgrace unmerited and disheartening
| assert, and upon the assertion stake my
all, that the 9TH Vermont regiment con-
Quoted themselves, as a regiment, credita.
bly,, as can and will be proven in court
of inquiry. The regiment is disgraced
for no reason in the world but malice and
envy of those not engaged in this fight.
These statements make, and in making
them speak the verdict of all the officers
and men of the regiment By reference
to the order, you will see that COL Roberts
is said to have fallen while rallying his
men. That he fell while giving orders to
his regiment is true, having dismounted,
his horse becoming manageable, and
standing near the right of Company B;
but sohen he fell the regiment was STAN
ding firm as a rock under a most deadly
fire, without one broken file, at the same
time loading and firing very rapidly.
Again, it is alleged that the regiment
refused to march to the aid Of the out
numbered and almost overwhelmed Indi.
anians" The 9TH Vermont regiment
never refused to march, and one thing is
true--that every movement executed
brought it under fire from either artillery
or musketry. The regiment was never
ordered to support the 3lst Indiana. 1t
is said that we fired into that same regi-
ment killing and wounding several"
The regiment stood unmoved under the
fire, without returning the same until Or
dered by Gen. Williams to load and fire
rapidly as possible. That order | heard
myself from the lips of Gen. Williams
not twenty minutes before he fell, mortally
wounded.
Again in the order it is said that John
Donaghue, 4th Massachusetts battery,
brought off from the camp of the 9TH
Vermont regiment their colors at the time
ofretreat." This charge is also wholly un-
founded. When we formed line of battle
and moved into position we took only the
national flag with us, the state flag being
left in Col. Roberts tent The last named
flag after the action, was by sergeant Ross
of company B, unstrappcd from the tent
pole of Col. Roberts tent, and presented
to Lieut.. Colonel Fullam, who sent the
same to the hospital. The colors brought
by John Donaghue from camp consisted of
a small flag formerly used as marking
flag in battalion drill, and which had
been used by Major Holbrook while in
command at Fort Pike, as boarding fac
for vessels at the Portland afterwards used
for blotting paper in the adjutant's office,
and thrown aside as wore out. That sir,
is in possession of Major Holbrook. So
much for our colors which VIC are repre-.
scented as deserving. 1t is falsehood no
man will presume to utter to an officer of
our regiment. The national flag was
borne by the color bearer of the regiment,
sergeant S. w. Parkhurst, who brought
the same on to line on which to form our
regiment on that memorable morn: and