Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-07-31

terv 10 protect the rear, the balance of the CON
nand was hurried forward. This rear guar
hal one Of the sharpest fights Of the camnaign
= Taking position on the Williamsrort road
they awaited the approach of the enemy. They
were not kept long in suspense for in less than
half an hour the enemy advanced two column.
D of infantry and one of cavalry. each column
numbering more men than the whole force or
dcred TO hold thea in check. OF course. il was
an easy matter TO flank our troops with sucb a
command; but the rebels paid dearly for the ad-
vantage gained The enemy had advanced
through the line a. our skirmishers retired. Our
rear guard held their first position full half an
hour after being attacked. The enemy advanced
skirnnshins, and made dash for Elder. Guns.
They got 20 near that one gunner knocked a
rebel down with his rammer. Elder gave them
grape and canister. and the 9TH v Y sabres,
while the lst Vt. used their carbines. The repulsc
was complete, but owing to the superior force Of
! the enemy, our men were compelled reluctantly
to fall back. At the second position taken there
was an other desperate contest, against odds
Here one Of the hrayest spirits fell Capt Wood
I ward, son Of the Chaplain II the First Vermont
At one time Companies r and II First Vermont.
+ Capt. Beeman. were entirely cut of. and they
were ordered 10 surrender - Il don't sec it. -
replie,l Capt. Beeman. "Who are You talking
/ to, screamed the rebel officer ITO you, was
the response, when the Captain. leaping fence
Wa followed by the squadron, aud nearly all es-
capped. Falling hack again, two Of the Vermont
| Companies were preparing 10 charge an advan-
chg force they yelled so loud that a portion of
the force engaged at Williamspcrt supposed them
to be rebels. and frel couple Of shells into their
I rank. This mistake clusel the charge 10 be
abandoned. and our men fell hack uroa the main
holy. The officer. aud men ot this rear guarl
( behaved nohly, and many really shed tears be
cause they could not carry ont their orders 10 the
letter. The First Vermont lot fifty men in this
retreat. Lieut. Stuart. of Company 6 Lieut.
Caldwell, Of Company J. and Sergt. Hill, Of
of Company &, were among the wounded. Stuart
and Hill were left upon the field
On MONDAY, the 18th Gen Fitzpatrick was
anxious to make an advance, hut could not OBJ
tam order. some OF the Fcunsy lyania militia
were PLACED IT his disposal. auI he thought he
would try one regiment under fin. The Phila-
dclphia Blues was selected and accompanied by
the First Vermont Cavalry. demonstration was
made on our Ischt-the enemy then occupying
a fortified position. The militia then deployed.
and It Wa somewhat interesting to sec how diff
ferent individuals acted as they came under fire |
for the hrst time Some laughed, others crack I
ell jokes. Many we're serious and wore a deter
mined aspect For new troops, however, they .
actel credtablv The General desired them to .
move tcthe crest Of knoll whore the bullets were
fyiu~ Tretty.hvely. There was some hesIiancv .
at frzt, Whereuron the battle-fag presented TO /
the di' ision by the ladies Of Boonsboro was sent
to the front SerEt. ". judy. bearer Of the flag.
cried out. " This is Gen. hipatrick's Battle
flag, follow t The militia obeyed the sum
mons promptly Judy was wounded and fell
some distance IN front Of the line and twas SUP
posed for some time that the enemy had captur-
ed the flag hut at night when Judy vas
frlor1 r~ht 1ftfnr he
battle-fac. The novelty of hem. under fire for
the first time was keenly felt 10y the militia
About the first man touched had the top Of his
head gra7el Just close enough Z draw blooi
lie halted. threw down his mushet, truly an as-
tonishcl man One or two officer, AID dozen
or morv priyatcs ran up in sec what the matter
was. Running both hands over his pate and
seeing blood, he exclaimed, '' 4 bali. believe
while the othcr> stood agapc with astcnshmcnt.
until the shri voice of the General sounded in
their clr-. &c Move on there ,'' Another mans
throat WI 80 closely gra7cd hv ball AS TO
raise large bunch but without breaking the
skin \ council was held 70 ascertain whether
he was hit by hall or not. Despite the dan
ger. the~c and ,iniilsr act caused mu;h amusc-
m"nt to the men more uscl 10 exposure
Cen. kllpatrick Vl. much aunoyci at the re-
s'rs,iut DE VS. under all day Nondav and Tues-
day, hc desired tc move on, believing that the
enemy while making a show Of force. was cross
iug the river. This subsequently proved 10 he
corr,-.i Had the army alvancc'l ON Tuesllv
morIu-. I""'s hole army would either have
heu captured or dispersed When. on Weincs-
lav morning an advance was made without or
dets, the fac; WAS then accrtained that the enc
my commenced falling back when the attack
va, made hv the lst ermont and Fenuzvivania
militia the lay before. tie cuemv believing that
It was tie. utiatory movement Of q general ai-
vance Such Nas the panic among the rebel
trcop- that they abandoned wagons, ammunition,
arms tents aui even provisions. Hundred. Of
rehcl, fearing Fitzpatrick men, fed {. the
right ,ii leit to avoid their terrific cbll-s-. eul
surrendered themzel'@
vuAr ma EfES AcCoNrIIsHIr
IA --stcrn dsv., one division Of our r1,.irv
has had fifteen battles, with infantry IN ncsriv
All TO contend against captured ami DESTROYED
nearly or quite 900 loaded wagons and hc-
tween thr.s and four thousand hcIses and mules
taken between Four and five Thousand rebel pris-
.u-t~. destroyed oue-half OF the relcl Gen. stu
irt ceval,y force, and So dcnoraliIel the bal
incc jls; when e green Cor blue) militia re-i-
ncut. the Philadelphia Blucs,) with "a reei-
mcnt ur Green Mountain Boys, attacked them
while Vo~te'i behind carthworks at lIagerstown.
the whole command tle,l panic-strickcn-or st
" iliiam~port. where Clusters brigade of Niclh-
sandcr>. with Pennington battery, captured
more than man for man from an enemy whose
force consisted Of four times their numbers. and
strongly located behind earthHorks. This is
cavalry fighting the superior Of which the world
never saw. The cavalry also contributed largely
TO the success Of our arms at Gcttysburgh
The following named persons were in the
Washington Hotel Hospital, Hagerstowu, July !
II; !
Sergeant } W woohury 1t u rs-.lrr-
wounded in lc-
! s Merritt. 1t Vt. ca,alry-arn
Geo. S Spofcrl, 1t Vt cs7alry-ar-i.