Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-05-12
A Letter From an Officer of the 9th Vermont.
ACCOUNT OF THE FIGHT AT
FRBEDERICksBURG
CAN'T OF THE GIN VERMONT, !

May %, lSDo.
am not sure that you have not hoard all
about our movements, through the papers rs
corps, but not probably as regiment We
crossed the river on Saturday night, the "a ILL.,
slant, and moved towards the heights at day
break Of Sunday. About one O'Clock =. NJ. we
charged-our right forcing one Of the strongest
works We passed over plain halt mile vide,
then through a rayine where the rebels siaught-
cred the IRISH brigade, in the first attack, and
then up the heights, our regiment beng the II
one on the crest, having passed by two other r.
gmonts on the charge. The rebels shoNered
shells upon US from the helghis. but our rapid
movement prevented them from seriously harm
ing us, as we lost but eight. We were then
thrown forward IA front Of Newton b Division,
as skrmishers, and advanced upon couple OF
carthworks in the rear Of the city from @hich
the rebels were still firing Our whole corps
we're at once pushed forward and Gen. Brooks
Division, who LED the advance, encountered
about three or four miles from the city, Long
street with a heavy force, who had come W
from Suffolk to reinforce Ewell who command
Ell the four Brgades that Lee had left at Fred
ericksburgh to hold the city aud heights. -
Brooks and Newton's Division fought three
hours, until dark, neither side gaining ans
ground. In this fight Brooks lost some Nv,
thousand men, as one OF his officers told me
Our Division was in reserve
I The next morning, with my glass, watched
the rebel columns filing upon the heights vi
had won the day before, coming in from th'
southwark, no one being there to oppose them
You can imagine what my feelings were.
don't know whether was most grieyed, anger
ed or indignant. All we had gained was lost
suppose the General thought the rebels wer,
on the road to Richmond, and he was anxlou
to push on and join Hooker
The rebels were now On three sides Of Us, an,
at four o cock they charged upon Us, starting
out of the woods with tremendous yell Tn,
Third Brigade was in cur front. They Tough
well for IL time, and then fell back in confusion
the rebels rushing on after them. Oar regimen
lay close upon the ground behind little crest
The men were ordered to fire only at the wor,
Of command We waited until the enemy wer
within twenty feet OF orr guns, then rose, FIRE,
+ and at once charged with eyeled bayonets |
the rebels came on fast they went back faster
Just our regiment drove back the line, to0i
nearly as many prisoners as We had men in th
regiment, among whom was c lionel lieuten
ant Colonel and Major, aud at least ten line Of
hcers. Our regiment was the only one IN thu
corps that charged The "a and 4th held thei
ground and fired but did not charge. The jt
and 3D. who were on our right were withdraw
to another place. The 2G.h NV Jersey inglo
riously He'd, We drove the rebels back nearl,
mile. over the entire ground they had won, au,
held 1t, unaldcl, until dark, when We were or
dered to fall back. Had other regiments al
yanood on our h,nks believe we could ,bav
gone into the city.
The Colonel and |, and many of the line OF
iicers now wear rebelswOr The General say
the Vermont Brigade saved the corps, and
hnoW that had We gwen way as the other regi
ments did, all must have been lost.
Two regiments advanced upon the Sixth
two-thlrds OF whom were killed or captured
do not put these things too high, and know
that Of which do testify Three companie
OF our regiment were the last VIII crossed tn
river Vermont is decidedly ahead here
The loss in our regiment in tins fight was iiy
killed, among whom was Capt. Ainswofth o
Wal,sfeld, ard lory-six wounded, many o
whom fear will Die, came through til,
whole without scratch. was the only Office
in the regiment who reached the heights on tn
first day, mounted. The 1t. Coils horse wa
shot under him, and the Colonel aud Adjutan
could not force their horses through the rayine
aud SO left them, but" Old Grey took me t,
the fort safely.
:. Anderson's division of six regiments was sen
liom Lees Army to fight us. They are par
OF Jacksoa's corps.
don't know how mach Hooker has DONE bu
| know there has been tremendous fighting a
the lace where he has been for several days
think, however, that his army was not lurg,
enough to force his way forward. As near as
can learn, neith:r side could advance Botl
sides have lost severely.
The First Brigade has net been driven. W,
were ordered back, and bad to obey orders. -
Some OF the two years men. whose time expire,
this month, did not isht we'll They were onl,
anxious to get away unframed The nine month,
men engaged did not do much better, but tn,
three years men fought well.
Our Brigade is now in good fighting order.
think the Brigade has lost 800 in all. VIVA
will next be DONE 1t is impossible to tell Oul
army is growing smaller, many OF our rcgi
MEETS are being mustered out Of service, an,
nothing is being done to IN them up.
Yours, &c.
.