Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-05-22
From the Sixth Regiment.
CAMP NEAR WHITE OAK CHURCH, !
VA, May 9th, 1868. {

! lccliHBo Vi Sauneso anu pTlue ludL l. TAX
pen TO address you. My heart beat
proud in thought OF the noble acts c
our brave men, yet am sad to know
that our cause has suffered. The great
est anxiety know must prevail at home
to hear of the fearful ordeal through
which we have passed, and feel it vii
be vain for me 10 attempt to portray ii
any degree the fearful struggle; it beg
gars language to tell. Though we have
many times before faced the cannon
mOuth,-engaged in fiery storms of bat
tie. yet we have never known or ex
perienced anything equal to the late bat
ties on the Rappahannock, in which We
have participated. We moved, that is
our corps, April 18th, Gen. Hooker had
already crossed the river some miles
above Fredericksburg, and was engaging
the enemy. Our force struck the river
at the same point we crossed last Decem.
Der, and the Light Brigade" of our di.
vision crossed the river in the pontoons,
surprised and drove the rebels from their
entrenchments on the bank, thus a foot
hold being gained, two pontoon bridges
were laid, and at early dawn Gen.
Brooks was across with his whole diVi.
sion, while our division (Gen. Hoyey's,)
remained upon this side. In this posi-
ton, with the lst corps two miles be-
low US, doing likewise, we remained for
three days, drawing the enemy's atten-
ton as much as possible, and thus keep
ing as large force from engaging Gen.
Hooker as could be, while he fought them
on the right. Each day we could hear
the roar of cannon, and see thick clouds
of smoke rising over the scene of con-
fict At last we received orders to ad-
vance on Saturday, May End, after night
had closed over the scenes of battle
but to give down to more terrible events,
we crossed the Rubicon. That night,
while the picket guarded our front, we
slept upon our arms, and before day we
" ere moving toward the right and to-
ward Fredericksburg. Batteries were
planted, and the day opened with the
sound of cannon. Our position was in
a wood between the fire of our entrench-
ed foes--.Shells often burst in our
midst, yet this we considered nothing.
never witnessed better artillery prac-
lice than was there displayed. Our
guns tossed she'll after she'll into their
and forts, which were
much higher than their position, dis
mounting guns and throwing the enemy
into confusion Tho boing kept up tin
nearly noon, the assault was made by
part of our brigade and one other, and
history fails to record anything much
it. At II o'clock, noon, our
star spangled banner waved upon the
heights of Fredericksburg, which had
10 long been held by traitors, and which
hey considered impossible to take. We a
aptured a number of cannon, and many {
prisoners. Our charge was over an open
lain for more than mile in extent, and /
Il the way we were under a CALLING fire @
grape and canister from the enemy. q
hey poured canister into us till we were il
} near they had to fly. The SD N. Y. v
harged in front of our regiment, yet we v
lrpaSsed them and gained the heights a
rst, while the 2nd Vermont and 26th IL
lew York charged upon the heights at e
lr left. The 26th broke, and had it ii
OF been for the End, they would have ri
cen taken. besides failing to capture the y
Fights. The End lost more than one b
lndred men in killed and wounded. g
ur regiment was more fortunate, 81
ough We lost some killed and many 81
Ounded. Lieut.. Col. Hale had his Ia
)rse shot from under him while making OF
e charge. We left the heights not to tn
Il back, but to follow a retreating foe L
e drove the enemy back about thre pc
lies, when they made a stand, and re
ere met by Gen. Brooks DIVISION tn
ape and canister together with musket- SIX
, were used with fearful havoc upon ed
tn sides. One of the Generals aids, We
apt. Read, was struck on the shoulder so
piece of shell, which inflicted n no
we're wound we have learned that he
S since died. ii,
That night we lay upon our arms. alt
tn skirmishers in front, and at early ye
wn, we found the enemy moving round fea
on our left, and had already gained an
: first heights, (the statement given by ths
ne that they captured nearly all the bel
spital department, ambulances, trains, tbi
~ that were in Fredericksburg, is false,
only few that were out after the .
unded were taken,) cannonading soon 49,.
nmenced, and we fell back toward the
er TO a chosen position. WHARF ,ya boIl W.