The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-04-17
The Disaster to Our Cavalry.

The skirmish in which some 40 of the
Vermont cavalry took part. near Drainesvile,
and of which brief mention was made last
week, proves to have been the most disas-
trous of any thing that has yet happened to
our Inflated cavalry. We have given pretty
full account of the affair in letter upon the
first page, but there are some other points
which time develops that are of interest to
the public.
Our forces seem to have started upon
wrong impression AMI to have followed on in
the same channel until brought to their senses
when too late to save themselves, to say
nothing Of capturing the enemy. 1t seems
that force OF about 81 men under CAPT
Flint discovered the rebels, dismoun,ed
about barn, behind fences and hay stacks.
and thinking TO capture the entire party,
charged down a lane upon them, when com.
ing to the fence Capt Fiinl's party was oblig-
ed to halt and some ol his men di,mount
and remove a length of fence ST. that they
could get AT the rebels. All this tine the
rebels were pouring calling fire into Capt
FEnt's squad, who were iii close order, and
admirably arranged to be cot up in the wors,
manner. BY the time the fence was remoy-
ed, Caps Flint's squad WIS badly used up
many OF the horses that hal never been I'M,
der fire becoming unmanagcablc.
This was the time when Capt Bean, who
had reserve force of 100 men, should have
come to the rescue and not only saved the
the attacking party but have captured the
rebels. But all accounts agree tina. he failed
to come, and some ascribe cowardice to him
saying that he told his men to save them.
selves. However this may be, the rebels saw
the predicameni in which our troops were
placed, and hastily forming behind the barn
tone MN who was in the fight says they had
party already mounted ready for an ASSAULT
they came charging out through the gan
made in the fence, and killed wounded or
captured lO6 Of our force of 1876.
FMS was not done in a moment. MANY
Of ucr mea retreated with all the speed that
their horses could muster. But here they
were lame again. These horses had ius,
come in from two days scout, during which
time the horses had rot been fed, (they never
iced army horses) and it did not take thu
'Soeis long to ran down and capture demon.
allied force mounted on halt-staryed horses
All accounts agree that the officers Of the
attacking party acted with great bravery
out military men condemn the manner Of at.
tack. 1t appears to have been great him.
der' though II the attacking force lad been
promptly sustained by the reserves the aff,;,
would probably have been successful Ors
TACT "h'cn went lar towards completing the
failure was that many of the rebels had .,
Union overcoats
Lieut. He'll of the cavalry writes tina, Mas
by's force was much greater than at first 70
ported that it numbered as many f ~,
more than the Federals.
One cannot read Of these many Disaster
to our cavalry regiment without having tn,
conviction forced upon him that there il
something radically wrong either in the reg
!ment or in its position. We are inclined t,
the belief that it is not differed. It has hat
no less than four or FIVE colonies in it. ,hor