Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-07-24
-FOUR Army Correspondence
CAMP OF THE 18th VI,
BRArrLEBoRo, VT, July II, 1863. !

CAMP OF THE 18th VI,
BRATTLEBoRo, Vt, July II, 1868.
Dear Free Press
i'll recollect Alright, my last letter from
the battle field of Gettysburg, contained an in
timation that in subsequent epistle might at
tempt to set down some additional incidents Of
the great battle. take the first opportunity to
fulfil the promise-finding it only here, ten days
after the fight, and many hundred miles from
the field. As hitherto, | write only Of what
passed under my own eye, leaving to the CORES
pondents of the city press the description Of the
battle as a whole
When spoke, as believe did, of the COM
parative harmlessness of the terrific cannonade
to which the Vermont regiments, together with
the other forces holding the centre of General
Meade's line, were subjected, it was under
stood, | trust, that the ineifectiveness was
only comparative and that only in the
case of men kept prostrate on the
ground. The casualties in the VT Brig
ade were almost entirely from artillery fire, and
the aggregate of loss from the enemy's artillery
was very large. There were few spots either
upon our lines or in the rear of them, free from
danger from the thickly flying shells. While
thousands Of them struck and exploded upon or
over our lines, perhaps an equal number passed
either by rieochet or directly, over to the rear,
and caused the loss of many valuable lives and
hundreds of valuable horses, many of which
had been taken to the rear for safety. Their at
tentions in the shape of grape and canister
here was not the slightest occasion TO complain of
any rant of attention on that score. The artil-
lery fire as our boys rose in line and advanced
upon the flank of the charging column of the enc
myon Friday afternoon, was tremendous, and the
three hundred killed and wounded Of our three
regiments, almost all struck during the move
ments and within the space of half an hour,
show that it was not ineffective. The most de-
structive shot noticed took effect in the 18th
regiment, as it was marching back by the flank,
to resume its place in line, after the surrender
of the greater portion Of the main rebel column.
was hurrying past with an order, when a
fhud and cry Of horror close behind me attract
ed my attention above the whistling of grape and
din of exploding shell. I turned to find cruel
gap in the column. of file Of four, three had
been Frustrated by shell together with two Of
fcers marching by their side. The outer man
was whrled to the ground but l believe not
much injured; the second was hit and killed by
the passing missile; the third was struck
in the centre of the body and literally
dismembered, one leg, barred of all but the shoe
and stocking, being thrown several feet from the
body: exploding at the same moment the frag-
ments of the shell killed the Sergeant-Maior Of
the regiment. Smith, to whom | had Just spoken
a cheering word, while the explosion threw
bruised and senseless to the ground Lieut.. Col.
Munson, who was walking at the moment at the
Sergeant-Maior's elbow. For moment the
men in the rear of the file which had thus been
swept away halted and drew back aghast but
discipline prevailed in another moment and step
ping over their mangled comrades. they closed
up the gap'and marched on.
But one instance Of unmanly want Of forti-
tude attracted my notice, among our Vermont
troops. One young man, struck down by a shot
which disabled one leg, as the regiment was
hurrying forward to meet the enemy, burst
l..
not to leave him, and rising on one knee
he even tried to stop them by catching at
the skirts Of their coats As they passed him
They could not stay, of course, and it may have
been the next day possibly before he was cared
for. Such was the case with some Of cur
wounded. The rule which forbids the well ones
of the rank and file leaving the ranks to attend
TO the wounded, hard as it seems, is one Of alb
sOlute necessity, and if more rightly enforced
and obeyed in all our battles would have sayed
a hundred lives for every one lost by it.
The drummers and ffers, whose duty it Is to
man the stretehers and carry the wounded from
the field, showed, as general rule, great alb
sence of body, if not presence of mind, through
out the battle and the tremendous accumulation
Of wounded men Of both sides so far exceeded
the means of relief, that thousands remained al
most uncared for, for many hours. Our Sur
geons worked nobly. The capture Of a number
of Surgeons of the LIST Corps, when our forces
withdrew from the town on Wednesday, leaving
the hospitals in the town in the hands
of the enemy, created a great scarcity
of Surgeons. Surgeon Ketchum, the Medi-
cal Director of cur Brigade, found him.
self the ranking medical officer, and had charge
of all the hospitals of the Corps DR.. Nichols
of the 18th had an extensive division hospital
under his capable care, and Drs. Park and
Woodward, of the 18th and 10th, were placed in
similar laborious and responsible positions. All
labored night and day over the wounded until
to stop from sheer exhaustion. l was
told by one who was present, that as Dr. Wood |
ward was waiting moment on Friday night. !.
for shattered limb to be made ready for ampu I
tation, his eyes closed in utter WEAKNESS, and he
Tell forward, operating knife in hand, over the /
wounded soldier behind him. 1t is worth men
iioning perhaps, that the medical supplies Of our
brigade were the only ones approaching suffi-
;iency, and that from them we're furnished al
most all that required for the hospitals of the
'ntire corp. on Wednesday night and Thursday,
md until additional supplies were brought on
friday from the army depots.
That have made no mention of individual
asses of bravery and good conduct on the field.
5 simply because such were altogether to nu
nervous to mention. The troops ofthe 2l Vt. Bri-
AIDE, being nne-months' men, the time of some
lst expiring, and on their first battlefield, were
ct greatly counted on at the outset by orr Corps
nd division Generals; they were, in fact, ex
ected to break at the first attack, and as we af-
erwards learned. strong supports were placed
aek of us to take our places when we should fall
the rear. But the supports were not needed.