Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-07-01
The Retreat OF the Vermont Cavalry.



Free Press, explains itself
WINCHESTER, Va, June L., 1862.
ME.sas EDITORS o. THE FREE Pass II no
iice in the weekly Free Press Of the 9th inst.
what purports to be an account given by Mai.
Sawyer Ot our retreat from Strashurg. The
writer says--cIaiming TO speak for Major s. -.
" The regiment Proceeded without n0lestaton
unu apout three quarters OF mile beyond
Cedar Creek they met the baggage lrain retreat
lng IN confusion with loose horses and mules.
struggling men ladIng horses aud great dis
ordrrii l4n. Nc NUw venture 20 say that
MaJor Stwyer Is mlsrepresruted. lie never
could give any man right 10 say that the
march Ol the regiment was Jbstrucled Dy our
tram, or any other, for the reason that no such
thing occurred The facts aie these Tho bag
gage train was taken across Cedar Creek early
in tbs morning OF May oath by orders irou
headquarters the teams were turiued in line
facing the road, so as to be able to proceed 10
the front or rear without the confusion likely
" arise IN making u iu. turn as it was now
certain that the enemy was in force ou both
sides oi US, and it was uncertain which way we
should lind Il necessary 10 proceed This posi-.
tlou was maintained throughout the day, and
was approved by tho commandet-ln chief, and
later by another General About ten o clock
word came that the trains IA front were cut OIL
aud we should soon be attacked. This caused
a slight Hurry, which a word from my wagon
master {. ?. Stone OF Company +, Instantly
! qnieted About O'Clock battery of four
guns, followed by our regiment under Col.
Ioinpkins As u support, came up and took pc-
sition short distance to the right, and front Of
our Train. The firing was brisk for over half
an hour, when the battery being threatened by
a Hank movement Of the enemy, which he could
make under cover OF the timber where cavalry
could not act, WAS forced to Timber up and re
tire This II did, followed by our cavalry, pass
! Ing n an uaoDsirucfed road within one rod vi
he line Of rams. When the regiment had
passed, the tram was put N motion, each driver
tax ng hs pr'Dt- place in the line in the most
| perfect order We had nu sJUner commenced
to move than the enemy 5 skirmlshsrs showed
themselves emerging from the timber within
halt T!le range, and tie hiss OF bullets soon
became familiar bu; not even now did c0nGl-
ao- lrise,-in proof OF winch will say that
three drivers dlsmoun5ed to chain their wheels
! in descending steep hill
! Before reaching the Creek one man was shot
In ais hand, and one horse fell by the same vol
ley-Of course he left his team aud, am happy
to say, escaped His name is John fiuse of Co.
! C. Four teams crossed the stream unhurt the
others got into the water, where several horses
fell by the tre whicn was poured IN by largely
increased numbers there teing now from - To
I 100 within 20 to 25 rods
Still nor q man lett his seat while his horses
kept their legs When one horse fell another
was cut loose, and 'he driver would mount and
be cf In this way seventeen horses out OF sew
enty.slx were saved
When the passage through the water was OBJ
structed by dead or disabled horses the order was
gwen to the drivers to save themselves by cutting
out each horse for himself and have reason
to hope that all are alive, though two were
wounded and four are prisoners.
Now ask is i, not hard, that men whose po-
sitiou iorbds the thoughts of soldiers aurels
after exhibiting such devotion to the.- trust
should be made conspicuous, rs having contrib
uted by dlsgraceIul flight to the disasters Of the
day?
have written nothing on hearsay the whole
movement was made under my own observation
aud direction and again assert, that no OBJ
struction by wagons, horses, mules, OF men was
met by either artillery or cavalry IN their ap-
proach to the scene Ot action near Ceder Creek |
at the time referred TO. A. ). DEwEr.