Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1863-07-30
THE FIRST VERMONT BRIGADE,

THE FIRST VERMONT BRIGADE.
Last week VIC published the Report Of
Gen. Stannard giving a detailed account
of the brave and efficient work done BY
the Nine months troops under his COM
mand and the losses they sustained dur
ing the terrible battle at Gettysburg;
where our Green mountain boys won for
themselves and the State imperishabls
honor and renown. We are enabled to-
day. from information derived from re-
liable sources, to give some account of the
d oings of the "Old Brigade" as connected
with the same great contest. This Bri-.
gade broke camp at Belle Plain where
they had been since the battle at Chan
cellorsville, and marched to the Rappa-
hammock and crossed over on June 5th.
They remained on duty south of the
river few days, and on June 18th COM
menced the march Northward in pursuit
of Lee. They went by way of Dumfries,
Wolf Run Shoals, Fairfax and Centreyille
to Bristow Station, where they did picket
duty for few days on the extreme left
of the army. They left that place on
Thursday, June %, and marched by the
way of Centreville and Drainsville to Ed
wards Ferry where they crossed the Po-
tomac on the 9th of June, bringing up
the rear. Thence by way of Poolsville,
Monacacy Church, Hyattstown and West
minister to Manchester Md. On Thurs
LAY, July End, from Manchester Nd, to
Gettysburg Penn, arriving on the battls-
field late in the afternoon, much fatigaed
with the rapid marches of the three weeks
preceding, having accomplished an aver
age of twenty miles day with little rest,
and the weather being rainy large part
of the time. During the great battle Oh
Friday July Sd, they acted as supports.
and on Saturday the 4th they skirmished
between the two armies. On Sunday
they began the march after the retreating
foe, following close upon their track over
the road to Fairfield, thence to Emmetts-
burg. Mid5lstown and Boonsboro. On.
Friday the 10th this Brigade led the COL
umn from BSonsbOro. Bufords' Divisions
of Cavalry was in front of them, and
Stewards cavalry, with Infantry aud Ar
tillery supports contested every foot of
the ground The Fifth VT, Regiment
acted as an advance guard. The Second
deployed on the left half mile from the
road as, hapkers, and the Sixth on the
right of the road as fankers. When,
they, got within six miles, of Aagerstown
the. Division Of our cavalry could. pusha
forward no farther and getting out of
ammunition they were withdrawn, Coli
Grant was obliged to send forward two
Regiments to- hold an Important crest
which the cavalry left. Afterwards our
line was pressed so hard by the enemy
that dctachrnents Of the remaining. Regi-.
ments were sent to the weakest points to-
prevent the rebels from breaking our line,
till finally the whole Bsigadewas deploy-
ed on skirmish line Of nearly three
miles in length. The men held that line
most manfully against Infantry, Artil-
lery. and cavalry, reRulsing the enemy
with considerable loss to them. Our men
had no support within mile and half
except battery which they could NOT
bring up to the skirmish line, asthey had
no Infantry to support it. Cur men how',
ever held their ground till they were re-
lieved the next day, During. this. skir-
mishing good many Of our msn, fred
each so rounds Of. ammunition Col.
stoughton received a. bad, though. not
dangerous wound, over one, Of his eyes.
Our men behaved during the whole. fight
With that GOODNESS and persistence aud
bravery which they had so often shown,
before on many battlefield. --sIx0nSr