Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-05-13
Uregu Ill. freeman
MONTPELIER, VT.
Tuesday Morning, May 10, 1892.
The Battle Near Wllliamsburgh.

following graphic account OF the battle on our
lett, near WiIliansburgh, on Monday The 9th
inst, where Gen. llelntzleman was in command
Of the Union troops:
Between and o. clock Hooker gave, through
the down-pourlng rain, the order 10 drive in the
enemy plckcts The battle began
he enemy were moi in great force. Our ut
most numbers were 5000. All Of these were
exhausted with IA Twelve miles march through
the most atrocous mud-roads that can disgrace
the barbariSm even OF "a Slave Stale--wlth "a
twcnty-lour oours' rain from which they had
no shelter-wlth want OF food for which off
cal negligence cannot justly be imputed. But
they went 10 work with characteristic Northern
resoluteness, and sent The rebel pickets in lying.
But reintorcements from WillIamsburgh began
to cone in immediately--the oldest and best
troops in the rebel arlny-most Of them OF the
Bull run and Manassas experience. At ., the
enemy grew thicker and more aggressive
llookers's second and third brigades went in,
and were soon followed by Emorys cavalry and
Bensons battery. The fight now became luri-
Gus. The great Preponderance Of the rebels,
with their carefully cultivated contempt Of the
Northern men, impelled them upon our regi
ments with audaclty and tue characteristic rage
of their civilization. The sleadlness and pluck
OF the N0rtherners were what was eS pected Of
disciplined American troops Our musketry
fire was terrible. RAPID, in time, and with de-
hDeraLe aim ~ the breast, 1t moved the enemy
in great sWalhs. The oldest Mexican war sol
ders on the field noted It's rapid aud solid char
acter, and said that they mad never seen it
cQunIled. lt, however, began TO exhaust the
cartridge boxes. Soon the equilibrium Of the
fight was lost and The result, to ileintzeman s
experienced eye, when he arrived on the field at
IL II O'Clock, wore u doubtful look lie IN
stanuy sent 10 kearney for reinlorconents
then hurried al orderly To Gen Sumner to rep
resent the instant necessity OF his reinforcing
MN with more troops, Or by diversion u be
made by an attack 90 his part on the enemy ;
center 10 kearaey, ia nl' rear, fail eight
miles of, ne slu. staa officer after staff officer
80 harry hla 10 extraordinary Efforts 10 come
up. For Il whole hour at time, he WaR left
entirely alone Oh the field Ills impotence, like
N1poieons for the head OF Grouchy column
At Waterloo was SO intense, that m five min
utes after the return Of his nlessln gers, nc r.
peatGdiy sent IEcm back with neW en- ,reates to
Kcarney u move quickly to save the unequal
fight Thcy did not come, Tor the rain had Ut.
ttrly ruined lhe swamp road. The danger grew
lust, aud began 70 eliminate at | l-2 o'clock
when the enemy made determined charge with
tne bayonet ON lockers lett wi a column OF
5000 fresh troops just up Iiom Nilliamsburgh.
They, ol course pushed our few and exhausted
men back and captured SIX OF our field pieces
three OF when they succeeded 10 finally carry
ng OH The nature Of the ground was such
covered with thick woods aud brush--that We
could no, use Cur artillery with luil effect Uut
US hre compelled the shouting captors To aoan-
don Julee oi their prizes The loss Of these
guns vas purely the result Of the killing Of
tacir officers, ana c4nnoniers, and drivers, and
horses, in numbers sufficient 70 disorganne the
sections, and more especially Of the exhaustion
OF the supply OF ammunition By the supporting
infantry regiments bahind them Here HOW
commences tie development OF tie crisis Of the
fight Foey, Of bali cartridges cannot ioug
be resisted by the brlyest Of tie brave, holding
IN their grasp only empty gun barrels. Pressed
harder aad closer by The new troops that john
sion had got up from Williamsburgh, the It'll
and Sth New Jersey gave ground, and soon lell
into disorder. 1t was not strange, Tor, their
carlrldgo boxes empty, the men ieit themselyer
TO be unarmed. Captain Chauucey McKeeyes
threw himself in their way aud cndeayUred tO
rally them, without effect. lis resolution was
promptly taken lie took squadron Of Col.
AyerIll ID Pennsylvania cavalry, deployed
them IN yhe woods on each side OF the road,
and ordered chem to lire upon the stragglers
and 0tce them back into the light until the re-
Inducements should come up. The order Was
Obeyel The men---wno had lot shown any
symptoms Of panic, nor we're III any danger OF a
STAN pedu--returned 10 thelr work. But with
out cartridges 1t seemed useless, and soon a
struggling into che woods aga!u commenced. -
Heiutz.em man, having no ana within miles OF MIN,
took his csCort Of 81 Pcnnsylyaumus, eomman-
del b. Capt. j. c. White, and persuaded them
30 return to tAer ranks aud resume tnclr ground.
Ii was heroic Of auy portion oil the 5000 *
hauaIed and now substantially uuarmed men
To lace - 600 comparatively fresh troops,
pouring ia upon thtm with Il fierce aud steady
increase. But Massachusetts, regiment (0o0
bless that state, and God bless her people J
greatly assisted this devotion by liking biyUnet,
on Their empty muskel barrels ana standing
stll for the coming avalanche. IL Was nov
that death passed fastest through our ranks
Officers tel thickly and men to earth IN heaps
Ten minutes moro would have ruined us-iul
demi gods could not have sustained such an n.
equality as 5000 TO $4,000. Ten minutes mon,
would nave saved the Rebellion aud caused Ia,
recognition OF the Teyo.tyd States ten minutes
more would have crushed the military reputa
ton, and driven a political parry out Ui power
aud It's administrators perhaps out oil hio.
Bat Brigadier Berry ga the stout STATE
OF Main3-wadlns through .hemud aud gam al
such speed thai he actually overlook ana passe.
three other urielde. --uuw e1me Do ,..uD-
HenAeiman shouted with gtoutade. lie .ai
TO the nearest band aad ordefad d 30 mptt d.,
coming ri imonls w,td " lluhg9 Doodle, I'D,
10 g,ye them marching t.uo lu,J sho Ay.I WHl,
.ho Saf.spaugi9I blaaer. a Wl.d" AuuaA
weut up from the afmy, aud Wisa Is yul ,aa
was electric ,Aroe = 5imouts ol hsrys brig
went 10 tho front, .0fmtd Ilue ua.ly Aa..
mile long, and commenced q }adgy h.us Una