Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-09-19
From the Rutland Herald.
THE SEVENTH VERMONT REGIMENT
IN THE BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE.
IT'S ALLEGED DlsGRACEFUL BEHAVIOR DR..


IN ltE BATTLE OF bAION ROUGE.
IT'S ALLEGED DlsoRACEFUL BEHAVIOR DR..
MED.
CAMP WILLIAMS.
Cnrollton La, August %. 1862 (
M. Editor Enclosed please find copy VI 'Utnttd
Order No &c. published IN the Daily Delta Of this date
by order Of General Butler,
BY this order, verified by speech by Gen Butler n,
review this afternoon, Vermont will learn that her 7h
regiment Of Green Mountain Boys have been depri,eJ
Of their colors for cowardce at the Battle Of ta,,n
Rouge, La August 9th 1864 and that we stand bo,,n
native State aud the armies Of the Union, dsgac,d
for the asserted that in the heat Of battle we de-
serted the Stars and Stripes; and like towards hed the
field " conflict and death. This Is the ohagethe cict
has gone forth and brave but Heaven knows ntrd
regiment, Tomorrow marches forth stripped of the old
flag we worshpcd,-aye, and for which hundreds would
de,-presentcd US by Gen Wasl burn, stood knee
deep in the SHOWS Of mountain State, only regain
them, by the enactment OF drama wherein grim death
Iiumphs in every scene.
The allegation is unounded and UNJUST the disgrace
unmerited and disheartening / assert and upan The
assertion stake my ALL that the IN Vermont regiment
conducted themselves, as regiment, cfedtaby. can
and will he proven IN court OF inquiry Inc rcgirn
dspraced for ia the world but the malice aud
envy Of those not engaged in this Eight These state
mcnts make. aud in making them speak the verdict NJ
all the officers aud Of the regiment BY reference
10 the order, you will that Col Roberts is said TO have
fallen while rtying his men. That he fell while giving
orders bis regiment is tInc having dismountcd ts
horse becoming unmanageahle' and standing near thc
right " Company bat ichcn he fell the regiment vas
standing firm rock under most deadly FIRE. with
out one broken he' at the same time loading and firing
Again, i is alleged that the regiment ''refusei to
march TO the aid Of The ounumbcrcd and almost over.
whelmed Indianians" The 9Th Vermont ropimentne,cr
refused TO march, and one thing is uuc--thai every
movement executed brought IL under Gre from either
ucry OF musketry. The regiment was never ordered TO
support the Dist Indiana. II is said Cred into that
same regiment "king and wOundng several The
regiment stood unmoscd under fire. without returning
the same until ordered by Gen Williams 10 load and ire
rapidly possible That order heard myself from the
lips OF Gen Williams not twenty minutes before Do ic,
mortaly wounded.
Again, the order Il is said that John Donaahue i,h
Mas1achusetta battery, brought N from thf camp Of
the 1h Vermont regiment their colurs the tune OF re-
we formed line " battle and moved into position We
took only the national Tag with u.s. the state hag being
lett IA Col Roberts tent The last named flag after The
action, by sergeant Ross Of company b. unstrappcd
from the tent pole VI Col Roberts tent, and presented
TO Lieut. Cot fullam, who sent the 10 the hospital
Inc Colots brought by John Donsghue rom camp
sisted Of small flag formerly used a. marking hag IN
battalion dri and which had been used BY Maiu Hol
oiooA WINE IA command at fort ftke, A. boarding nag
for vessels the Fort and Afterwards used for boug pa
per IN the adlutants Office, and thrown aside
out lha SIR u IA possession of Major Hobruok. so
much for our coors which represented a. desrft
ing II u ialsehood will presume TO utter Go
officer Of regiment The national hae vas borne
by the color bearer Of the regiment sergcautS W. Park
hurst, who brought the line which to form
regiment on that memorable morn and i,y him VS.
carried throughout the entire action and which under
murderous fire be held aoit and kept vhtre c regiment
could see and rally Il need be around IT, That Gag
ever wnee il should be and noby did he by aud
peat the same nom me hed without rs once having
his hands. Thus 20 mpeach the bravery Of man Who
stood inc test 90 Bull Kun cCdtably htms Ell and his
company as ~ lieutenant and u publish 70 the couu-
Try that other hands than his has borne our nag from the
hcd Of battle is statement 10 unjust that pray God
may never STAN the annals Of our history / watched
~ the smoke Of battle our Tag, and watched him bring
the same 70 where we halted.
Thus, sir, trust have proven 10 Vermont that our
colors were borne by other than out own regiment
al color bearer. Our culors e us not Tor ono fnuurt
andyet we arc deprived Of them. 1 believe Major Gem
efa Butter thus acts upon his best Judgment upon
ports furnished him, and lamenis he disgtacc uf our
most surely unfortunate regiment
In conclusion have % say that the order seems Co rs
like the death knc Of the IN Vermont regiment Ift
our own Green Mountain State that we mourn for f,r
believe me, We and will die but thuse colors shall De
restored IN the regiment We feel mortified and chsrfn
cd that our state must be disgraced by us. Heaven
knows We struggled 10 do our duty while knew our
brothers we're falling like leaves Of the Potn
mac IN defence Of the old Gag that we woud Thousand
times rather die for than be disgraccd
Our regiment entered the contest with but some go
men all told The remainder being sick in quarters and
hospitals, and when the bae was 10 pine f,fret those
,es men we're ordered 70 the riser by aid II Gen
Williams, for safety. Thus the Impression that
our regiment broke and ran.
We wish the people Of Vermont 10 know the facis of
The case, and We vii 10 abe struggle but men hphiinp
IA 'he cause we are men Who have suffered shat have
w me ffuitiess Hcige Of Nrksourg officers and men who
Tor Ten days sicf our arrival az Baton Rouge burcd our
dead az The rate NJ one, tao three per day ffuu
company anu 10 one cay buried nine side BY side
,hfee rom zach Of companies Il. G., aud a. when Al
brigade reviews some companies were utterly neapaei-
lated ruui being represented AZ they had not men
enough 10 care Tor the sick and dying and give dead
comfade a christian burial .ay vhrn in tbat rop,,,,
they were called upon To- fight ha, bloody battle of Baton
Rouge aud conducted themselves like men better than
othtf regiments who were broken up and forming upon
our rBht aud lett, suffering did ony the Twenty
hfst Indiana and Sixth Michigan 10 be A. This
hou compelled 20 give up Gag for The asserted fcn
son mat we prove ourselves towards and deserted it,
which God knows we never did, and our state uniusty
disgraced-then man murmurs and believes there IL
policy in var
Our regiment in the mallrious swamp. Of Vieksbnrs
nav" sown seeds Of disease that have and fcaf will
prove fatal % many forced 90 do fatigue duts until 10
was impossible 10 TIL details from ho regiment where
slave owner would not work his slave, as the atmos
phere arising from the disturbed earth was sure To- breed
uss"se and brought TO Baton Rouge and sick and
well forced 20 sleep upon the ground when All
regiments were quafeftd IN buildings IL ia now ahar
having as regiment behaved well in battle, disgrarod
curse U.s. u mat VAL save State and friends N cor
country can be saved avn willing die with ny Reei
ment but for Gods sake, Vefmontcrs don't hrlest rs
shat we are represented as being, disgrace Of our
state SNoS DutruN,
Capt Co. g 7th Vermont