Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-04-25
The yermonters ut Yorktown.


We have been shown a private letter
from one of the Lamoille County Boys
engaged in the fight at Yorktown, on
Wednesday of last week, written the day
after the fight, which gives very minute
account of the part taken by the Sd Reg,
to which the writer belongs. After re-
lating the circumstances connected with
the approach, he shows the position taken
in front of the enemy, between whom and
our forces was Warwick Creek, and says:
From our position to the enemy's rifle
pits was about thirty rods. Our support,
consisting Of the 5th, I'd and 9th Yer
mont, were over one hundred rods in the
rear. Our line Of pickets was within
twenty rods of the enemy's pits. Their
pits were filled with nearly twenty-one
hundred of the best shots the enemy had
The rebels by building dams have made
mill-dam overlooking a lot of fallen tim
Der, almost impossible before being sub
merged. The creek itself at this point is
small and Of little consequence when not
damned up. The woods are of small
growth of imber and underbrush, conceal
ing everything at distance Of ten or fif-
teen rods. Between two and three P. NJ,
yesterday, the Colonel received the start
ling order to send two companies (of about
ninety men all told) across the creek and
take possession of the fort in rear of the
bridge. He succeeded in obtaining per-
mission to send the two remaining CON-
panies to support them. He gave the Or
der to advance at about o'clock, (having
given very minute instructions to Capt.
Harrington.) He followed the brave fell
lows to the waters edge, the enemy rain
ing their lead upon us. Co. D, Capt.
Harrington, was deployed somewhat to
the right, and Co. I, Capt, Pingree, de-
ployed the same way to the left; Co. K,
Capt. Bennett,) covered few rods to the
rear; Co. F, and Co. L, Ost Lieut.. Whit
temore,) covered Co. D, both Co.'S X and
E being in close order; Capt. Harrington
commanding the whole, lead the attack ;
while the Col. remained in rear to direct
the reinforcements. The attacking party
advanced under terrible fire, without
dinching. though the killed and wounded
were plenty, falling into the water, the
latter to be drowned. Our men did not
fire gun till across the creek, when they
opened in telling fire. The enemy de.
serted their rife pits, running for safety
to a rear work but no peace for the
! wicked; our men, shouting, reached the
rising ground and shot them down in
heaps. Our brave men in crossing the
creek had to wade through water up to
. their arm-pits, some up to their chins and
some fairly under water. So Of course
more or less Of their ammunition was we,
and rendered useless Some Of the guns
were filled with water. But as it was
they drove the enemy into the rear fort
and out Of that into the woods, and Their
! began to pick off the men and horses Of
) the battery to the right We received nc
reinforcements, the men could fire nc
: longer, and the enemy in the meantime
had rallied, and advanced three fill reyi
0 ments, trying to ovorwhelm us with thcil
y steady fire. There was no chance, undel
such circumstances, against such odds
and seing we could get no reinforcements
the Col. reluctantly gave the order to re
!. treat This order he had to give Tire
y times, before the men sooaH retire. As i
was, after receiving the order, ten Of then