Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-05-21


quent movements. Too much praise can
not be awarded the whole brigade. They
have added new and brilliant lustre to the
old renown of the " Green Mountain
Boys" Their brave deeds will be re-
membered with pride and gratitude by
the people at home, in defence of whose
rights and liberties, involved in the main
tensnce of this Union, they are so gallant
ly fighting.
CAMP NEAR FALMOUTH, Va, }
May 7th, 1868.
EDITOR RUTLAND HERALD Il will
briefly sketch for you the history Of the
Brigade, and more especially of the 9th
Regiment, on the Sd and 4th of May.
The 9th Army Corps, to which the
Brigade belongs, crossed the river during
the evening of the I'd, and lying under
arms during the night. at o'clock on the
morning of the Sd advanced to the attack
of Fredericksburg. By taking advantage
of several ravines, and under cover of our
artillery, we had by eight o'clock reached
position near the city, and in front of
the stone wall, and works which proved
impregnable to our troops at the former
attack. At about eleven preparations
for the assault having been completed, We
advanced rapidly across the plain in
front of the heights, the I'd and 9th YER
mont Regiments being attached Temporal
rily to the Brigade of Gen. Neil. The
enemy's artillery hurl their death-dealing
missiles in showers upon us . shot and
shell pillow our ranks, but still the advanC-
ing columns press onward and upward,
until the stars and stripes wave over one
after another of the enemy's works, and
Fredericksburg is ours. But our task Is
not yet completed. We rest tor time,
while Gen. Brooks division pursues the
retreating enemy on the Gordonsville
road, and engages him, but being checked
after driving them mile and half, we
are ordered forward to his support, and
later are moved to the left, where we rest
on our arms for the night.
The 4th Of May opens with quiet
morning, but during the forenoon the reb-
el's artillery and infantry are seen moving
past us to the left, and they have evident
ly been REINFORCED. They move upon
the heighths at our left and rear, and take
them with little opposition. We are now
moved back to a position near the Cor
louisville road. There is as yet little fir
ing, and little is done until in the after
noon we see Gen. Anderson's division
coming to our front from the front of Gen.
Hooker's army.
We, THAT is the Sixth Vermont are
at this time posted upon the slope of
hill at the left of the LIST Maryland Battery,
noble, Battery, manned by as brave a
set of men as ever faced an enemy. This
position commands view of the broad
open fields before us, over which the enc
my's long grey lines are seen advancing.
When they reach our front lines terrific
fight of artillery and musketry ensues,
bat our men, apparently overpowered, are
forced to fall back, while the enemy en-
boldened by success, press eagerly on.
"Two second fuse" shouts the brave
Captain of the Maryland Battery, and
about this time their line waivers, but they
soon rally and are coming rapidly on
A" One second fuse" and soon half-second
fuse, bring on the Shells" cries the brave
commander of the battery. They are
close upon us, but still the men nobly
serve their guns, and still our Regiment is
ordered to lie down and hold their fire,
though many are wounded by the shower
of bullets which fall upon us from the
right and left. But now the enemy are
literally at the cannons' mouths. The
battery is in danger, and IS taken al dou-
BILE quick to the rear, its Captain shouting
to us as he leaves: "Stand fast, boys;
you are our only hope now" 1t is now
time for us to act, and, rising, we pour
murderous volley into their ranks. "For
ward charged is now the order of our
commander, Col. Barney, and in an in
slant, our unbroken line Of bayonets is
presented to the foe, and with a shout we
rush on, but the grey-coated fellows not
liking the prospect of immediate impale-
ment, turned en- n,Gsse and fled, and then
ensued race, the like of which S rarely
seen. 1t was the Green Mountain Boys
versus the chivalry of Louisiana, as repre-
scented by the 9TH and 9th Louisiana regi
ments of Gen. Early's Division. The
chivalry had the advantage, however, in
being slittle ahead,n and in not being
burdened with knapsacks. Yet we over
take large numbers of them, the rank and
file throwing up their caps as they surren-
der, and the officers yielding up their