Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-10-02
THE CHARcR OF THE VERMONT Brio.

A Nh~N"A Vt Auh EhhoNT DRla-
AIDE AT AsrIRrAM.-A correspondent of
the Bennington Banner gives the follow
ing account OF the charge of the Vermont
ers at Antietam:
As We passed through Burketsville we
were cheered on by the ladies of the
place who, for some reason unknown to
me, had not been removed from the town
before the battle commenced. We passed
through the entire length of the village,
the shot and shell from the enemy flying
like Satans angels over our heads. Skir-
mishers were thrown out as we neared
the enemy's line, and hardly had they
been deployed before they were engaged.
BY this time the bullets began to whistle
around our heads in rather too close prox-
unity to be safe. In consequence, Gen.
Brooks ordered us to take up our position
behind large barn which stood near us,
not wishing needlessly to expose his men,
As we entered the yard one of our men
was shot through the neck, and fell dead
without groan. A few moments after a
gallant charge was made by brigade of
Slocum's division on our right, they dri-
wing the enemy before them like Sheep
1t was a noble sight. The time had come
it became necessary for US to "go in;" we
filed from behind the barn, passing by the
left into a smooth meadow, halted and
came to front as coolly as if on drill.
Next came the order to charge, and for
ward we went at double quick, our Lit.
Colonel-who is command of the regi-
ment-leading us yard or two in front
Of the colors, which were flung out to the
breeze showing that the stars and stripes
were once more moving onward proudly
to victory. The position which we were
ordered to charge upon was one of great
strength, and if the enemy had held it
with half the courage with which it was
stOrmed, we should all have gone under
before we could have taken it. We halted a
moment as we came to the stonewall
bounding the field, across WEIGH we had
chargedbut il was not long before theorder
came to move on, and onward we moved
over the wall, through the woods, up the
mountain sides, sweeping with irresistible
fury, everything before US. The top of
the mountain was gained, and every man
was thankful that he was alive, aud real
izing that it was indeed miracle that one
Of US was left to tell the tale. We halted
a moment to take breath and then started
along the ridge of the mountain, deter
mined to take the battery which had been
throwing all kinds Of deadly missiles at US
during our charge. Our progress was
necessarily very slow, being through tang
gled brush and ever rocks, equal to any
found on the Green Mountains. Onward |
we went, however, deferred by nothing
that Distracted our route, yet the rebels |
got the start of Us and hal their battery
before we reached the spot where |
it was posted.
In our charge we captured the battle |
flag of the 10Th Virginia, one Major,
three Lieutenants and sixty prisoners. II
am unable to give you a list of them ow-
ing to the hurry in which they were sent
TO the rear; their names not being taken
at brigade headquarters. The Major and
Lieutenants were from the 10Th Virginia
as were also the greater part of the pris-
oners, The Major states that we utterly
the 10th, and it is now classed
among the things that were. The Yer
mont brigades also captured % prisoners
from the 18th North Carolina, oath Geor-
sia, 9TH Virginia cavalry. 9th Virginia
infantry, 10th Georgia, Cobb's LIST Geor-
gia Legion, and Lieutenant from the
Troupe Artillery.