Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-05-23


as you will see strawberries. The New Jer-
sey troops suffered the most and did the
hardest fighting. One of their regiments lost
} every field officer and most of the line officers
and over 500 privates but they fought like
tigers. You could see the fierce desperation
depicted upon the countenances of the dead.
Such sights | never beheld before, and hope
never to again. Our soldiers have been bur
ryng the dead ever since the battle closed,
anu have not got through yet Some 800 or
400 of the Massachusetts, LIST Regiment show
ed the white feather, and skuked and run
away. There was one poor fellow who SEEM
ed to dread the fight terribly, and kept skulk
ing away-til finally one Of Gen. Growers
staff told him to 40 back into the fight. He
made an excuse, but the Aid told him
damn you, if you don't go and fight, will
run my sword through you" Poor fellow
he went back into the fight. and in less than
ten minutes, fei, to rise no more
We are allowed to make the following ex-
tracts from a private letter from a member of
the medical corps of the Vermont brigade.
1t gives a more minute account Of the part
taken by the Vermont troops in that fight
] Nuoh any VIC nave ltA sttu
CAMP NEAR WmLIAMsBuBGH May ..
| We have had battle and the rebels have
fed, carrying most of their effects except at
Yorktown, where several guns were captured
from them by our men. Here, however, they
captured one of our guns and three caisons,
killing most of the horses. This gun was
one which was in the advance on Sunday,
unprotected by infantry, and the rebels
charged back and took them Our brigade
had no hand in the fight, though it was in
sight of, and, think, nearer the rebel Fort
Magruder than any other regiment, but pro-
tected from their fire by corner Of woods.
Our army followed them all day Sunday.
Our cavalry and the battery upon which they
had charged overlook their rear before dark
Our men, of course, knew nothing of their
locality or entertainments. 1t was soon too
dark to move. Our brigade was ordered in
to the woods 20 a clearing and into the woods
again to come against the worst piece of slash
or fallen trees ! ever tried 10 20 through with
a horse. We got through, aud camped, to
wake in the morning right in the face and
eyes Of the enemys fort. They looked at us
and We at them, and we supposed them our
men ; but on closer or more looking we found
they were not ours, and we were ordered in
to the woods, right left and rear. The rain
had commenced falling about II the previous
evening, and we were all wet through No
supper, no fires, no talking all night, and no
breakfast. We did not know where we were
Not gun fired from that redoubt by
them, and none at all by us. The firing was
continuous and rapid all day, just through
the woods from Us. At night, or 4 p. NJ,
the General thought they were going towards
Hancock's brigade, which was on the right
in front of us, and ordered battery to open
fire on them. 1t was close by us, and the
rebels returning the fire. drove our regiment
to one side, shells coming too near us. About
dark we were ordered back to a large clearing,
where report came to us that our men were
repulsed, and then the firing came nearer and
nearer. This clearing was enc dense mass Of
infantry st then Mcclellan came up, and
in less than half an hour these men were
formed in lines on two sides Of the opening
The rebels were on the road from the Fort, in
a rife-pit made during the revolutionary war,
which is shaped 2igzag, like Virginia rail-
fence. 1t was thought the rebels were going
to charge through the woods, near the corner
where the road comes from the Fort The
! lighting was in that place all day. Our men
would drive them out, and then, in turn,
themselves be repulsed from the pit by flank
movement on both sides The lines | speak
of were thrown into this shape with view.
as | thought, to meet their charge, if they
made one, and to charge back on them and
get the Fort They moved forward into the
woods until the rear lines only were visible.
! never realized the benefit Of military educa-
ton before. | don't believe a million of
men could have charged through that deter
mined body of soldiers All understood that
Mcclellan was there, and as he rode along
cheers such as ] never heard before rent the
air. By being thrown into the woods so far
our position came right where it had been be-
fore, with the ID regt, on our left and the 5th
on Our right. Then came the news that Han
cock had taken the small redoubt at our
right. The rebels made charge on him to
retake it, and get his cannon, but he drove
them back and cut their regiments terribly.
This brought more cheers ilom our men, as
well as shells from the rebels, for we had ad-
yanced 50 far that they knew right whore we
were.
Again we slept on arms, with no fires and
no supper Would you think men could
sleep under such oITcumstances--ha been
wet through for "a hours. and with nothing
but rubber blankets to keep them from the
WV B'punu' lhey were an asleep IN less
than an hour, and scarcely sound was heard
from anybody till morning, except an aid
from the General with orders to support Han
cock as soon as light. Light comes, and the
rebels have fled. We went to where Ham
cock lay with his brigade, and a sorry sight
1t was to look upon. Dead, dying and
wounded lay on all sides, In the little fort
counted 50 secesh wound d, from Lieut..
Col all the way down. Thee belonged to
the h North Carolina rcgt, with a few of
the 2ith Nirginia. They were killed and
wounded in making the charge to yet the can.