Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-05-08
OF THE RAPPAHANNOCK.

l
"Thrte bridges were to be made. For this purpose
sxyour boats, &C., had 70 20 to the river from camp
distance Of three four miles. In the condition of the
roads just sofened by rain, this no easy matter
nut eight mules and one Niger 90 team do wonders
Before the boats reached the river there more 20 be
done however, tan eight mules aud Niger were
equal 70. They could only take the material To within
one mile Of the river as there we're steep hills and IS
! they made TOO much noise. SO from from where the
mules eft them, foryour Of the boats with their sup
plies NJ chains, anchors, Nc had 10 be carried by hand
This you may conceive the hardest Mind of hard la
Dor Each boat weighed sixteen hundred pounds
10 perform and protect this work detail was made VI
two bridges the socaed Light Brigade oi Gen, Pratt
and the lst brigade 81 division 9Th corps. commanded
by Col Alexander Shaler tlhc 9Th Maine regiment is
Shortly after dark the drizze Of rain had stopped and
then the moon made Intellectual attempt 20 get out at
as, and made thereby dim uncertain light, which per.
haps helped as little. Camps began To be pitched all
about IN the woods rs the Who we're 20 cross began
90 ale into their assigned PLACES No fires were permit
ted, the cup of uee nut, and the
boys ate cold suppee and las down IN the rain and slept
as best they might-all but Pratts and Shaer's men
ly the quiet patience and guod Judgment Of The latter
ohicct the transportation Of the boats went ON WE'LL.
Five were lifted clear and carried down For this pur-
pose poles passed under boat, and the ends Of
each pole were held by men tn, opposite side u the
boat anu 50 they walked them ang down the hills and
oycr the plain, through the slippery mud and miro, to
the river Imagine an army Of ants under the Worth
Monument carrying 1t from the sixth story down the
front Of Finn Avenue hotel md you are IS near As
you get 10 the picture Of under II these
boats A. they moved It down hill
But, encouraged in every possible way by those in
command, the men toiled patiently on and the boats,
| carried and dragged got down Harder service than
"s, las Ve' uoNn " ,'s a,,ly, w. t,,neps
~ srl,ntiy i'm men,. vss a. bitc ,beref,rc
in me bu,ii f,,ry ,b 80, nod ~ nr,is,, 4. d,, IN
III ,'i ne W. biS this
81 - -. $50 ' " " ~ "
Toward daybreak twenty three boats 'foat and
ready f1r the start Brigader zen Russell had the hon
mr. t,' n,ss tbc 10, ~ mai n 1hc .borr Al
80 a. M and This scene " urir departure and quiet
l., ,b. -, 80, ~. - H., 80, ,.-s. ~ 80 Ron.
IL ,G 49,. III . ,i ~ 49,, s.,,,a, ,,h n,, i,,, 7,
.a,! wy o-le iul. uu u ,'e ~, it J' - !,
hs-, se,rcols , h,i,i - H. v,;dtb ,.s c,ld not .ee
he ,,her s,3e soo, s,,r ,icy was beard and the
| hoa,s rc,,r,cJ aud be,,,, a., An 40 lin
A. so,a ~. ,t ~ ,.,heJ ne or,,o.i,e sboye Rus.
sell',nen el,uesrsd nm tho NAM a1d bsyan 10 form
a., - ,,' ~ ~ A. ~ nv, 4 $3.50 -, r.,
distance and tom a rac nh drrrty IN 'front.' one voey
Bavonets ,ver, eyed ,td tho lime advanced the no
~ ~ i',' M ,io ,i,,., ia a., ,bcir Ia
ir - ~ ;,s pss,t,sj v7,aa, t9,b Pom
y. u,ugl' ~ w ~ !, =, |, m l ts,i - w
e., ~ a. ,ie M, 10, ~ 80, 49, In 49, de-
49, ~ VA -, ~ 49, ~. - H. ~, t;r, "a
Ia, Me Nd ,,,, ~ NE 1901 All an, men b,d ,bs
~ ~ va" 70 AN ~ 49, 80 F"'i -" 'eNF '''
Ui tsRso bernaI i noa'e on our e
win All ib, ri,,o,, ~ ,,bish ihcv ,vcre rsn,,lc
As soon as the enemy wa, nus driven from the ria,
Plis zen h1sscH Immediately thte" GUY hue OF shlr
ml'AeIs 70 the 'front.' ana HKnt advanced ms hne aoou
three hundred yards from me river and took u position
l'ipetis ana b''utti ofsad.g ool9 oil nt"oE' dVl
lnn crossed Immediately aUtr Russell. Zen. lorpert
brigade was formed on husselIs lcN aud Gen BARTLETT
in M n NJ
ufder C91t Rc.se worked br,ely At ne grst Sontoor
bril,o AMI tho ian Nov yort ,pdg, Coi C,ig,fs ,I
tbe Second and third Ovr. fbese tbe ami b,d +,
p,ss anJso he infantry o, The ohio ado ,ated AL,
/ ob.rryeIthe enemy
Al mi. limo tho nne,,, ,,s le o,o, disp,, is men
aud fofo,ed line of ski,,usb,-e m, DO ID s,llis ,,ht
'rhaso fellots emf IN f ,frrs i,l Seeie, - batIcr,
X An IT, 5 posted ON This NORTH side Of the river
sent few Shell among them ,6en thew cut nm more c,
pers and ,ot oit Of lyht Seecy's b,t,prv If az Ma
poeon guns covered the entire hed % the right of Gen
%onsrdn tSere nj. Dse p could Sate yen we're
dgs,tqeyG fire Meaps4le Che eeLy go, over an,
still Attbs time (aoou, eshJ me mist cleared away
i, was s SUMNER daS ca m as po,.e: for our mei
Jay IN i,ns, ana slept 5 and aSond within 6y yards
sat the enemy skrmishers aud beyond again We coul,
hind ridge some hurdredl II yari, in our mont Fs
IA our ifout On the hills were the enemys camps Il
me lght on range vt low hil'' were earhworNs line
with men, out All stll-noi wnd-nut shu-not ever
breeze And iull IN the middle Of the scene TO ou
rgnt was arh house irom whose peaceful chimney th
smoke CURED slowly away aud completed The picture
perfect quiet
As nave INDICATED above there had been movement