Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-07-17
[0ur Army Correspondence
FROM THE TW ELFTH REGIMENT.

the present abiding place Of our Brigade but
1t has really little Of the camp about IT, except
the men. We have no tents.-ths blue canopy
above Is cur only shelter,-We have no fires,
and nothing to cook. II We had. The men stand
or sit in knots near their stacked arms, worn.
hungry and battle stained but a better feeling
set Of men one does not often see The big bat
tie is over and every man Is proud TO have been
in II and that he Is a member Of the Vermont
Second Brigade
The scene has shifted since l wrote you last
from the shores Of the Ooooquan TO the fields Of
Pennsylvania ! can give but little space to the
march which brought Us here. Il lasted week
seven weary days Of continuous marching through
the mud The men, you know, were not Injured
to marching. Some were poorly shod, for IL
view Of the speedy termination of their service
they had neglected 70 exchange old shoes for
new. but they marched vel With sore and
blisterei and often bleeding feet. il some cases
barefooted, they pushed along and made their
twenty miles. or nearly that, day. There was
some murmuring the last day OF two, al the rate
at which they were urged along, but they IN
derstood the reason why, when, Oh Wednesday
as We neared Gettysburgh. the sound Of cannon
was heard II front, and an orderly dashed up
to say that the Isl corps. TO which we were as
signed, under Major Gen Doubleday, was fight
ing the whole rebel army. and needed every
man that could be brought up II was cheering
to see the effect Of the sound Of hattie on the
tired troops The ranks closed up, the stragglers
took their places and the men pressed forward
with freer step. But the afternoon was very
hot one, and with our utmost effort We only
reached the battle-ground IN time TO take position
before dark in rear Of the line Of battle Of the
lst corps. The artillery fire ceased At dark. and
the men stretched themselves upon their arms
II . wheat field. and sank into the deep and
reckless sleep Of the weary soldier. There was
rest for the men. but not for our General Gen.
Stannard was notified. upon his arrival. Of his
appointment as General Field Officer Of the Day.
or Of the night rather, and that he would he
expected TO sec to the effective posting Of the
pickets Of several other corps. besides our own.
The duty called for a night in The saddle. upon
the army lines, and those who knew the Gen
eral. knew that they could sleep IN quiet behind
the sentinels posted and watched by ms e1peri-
fenced eve
The day opened On Thursday without
firing. save now and then a shot from
the pickets. but there was a considerable moving
oftrcops on our side behind the hills and low
ridges which concealed US from the enemy. and
doubtless the same presses was going on. on their
side. unseen by US The batteries alone on the
hilltops and crests Of the ridges menace5 each
other, Ike grim bull dogs, in silence
The three regiments present Of our Brigade,
(the 18th and 9Th had been sent to guard the
ammunition and supply trains IN the rear. an in
portant duty were placed behind Cemetery Hill.
"A round hill crowned by beautiful Cemetery
laid out with an amount Of taste and expense very
unusual in place Of the size Of Gettysburg,-and
Gen. Stannard was notified that he was IL con-
mand upon the hill, and would be held respon-
sible for its safety. The position was central
and all important one, and once lost BY Us could
hardly have been recovered, while to relinouist
it would have been to relinquish the whole field.
Our batteries were planted, not indeed actual
y upon the graves, but close to them withinIthe
cemetery-such are the necessities Of war. We
lay behind the hill through the forenoon. the
men lounging on 1.-THE grass, and orlerlies, with
the horses for officers. hanging around, TIL about
2 O'Clock, when the ball opened by the discharge
Of artillery and the whining Of shell around
our ears. The very first thrown exploded exact
ly over the 18th regiment, and two or three men
oft were wounded by the fragments s sudden
scampering 70 the rear, Of orderlies, ambulances.
and all whose duties did not hold them to the
spot, followed. The troops were moved a little
closer under the hill, and made 70 lie down. our
Own batteries opened sharply and the fight for
several hours was an artillery duel. The shells
came screaming through the air with not alto
gether agreeable frequency, mingled, for those
Of Us whose duties called Us to the top Of the
hi, with the occasional humming Of minnie /
balls but there was very little loss ofEfe. Oc-
casiona-ly battery horse, would plunge and rear
for moment and then drop As I passed one
Of the guns, noticed a fine looking Sergeant Of
the battery, watching eagerly the effect Of the
shot he had Just aimed as came back again.
two minutes later, he was lying dead by his gun.
Perhaps dozen men came by US from the Skin
mish line in front, with gun she; wounds Of arm
or leg or head company was called for As
support to the skirmishers Capt. Poster. Of
Gen Stannard's staff, was sent out to station
them, and was brought back in few minutes
shot through both legs. With these exceptions
saw no bloodshed for hours Gen stanuard
moved around among the men assuring them bv
'alling attention to the fact Of how little actual
LANCER there was in even a heavy artillery
ire, under such circumstances, and the terrified
mes gained courage fast. But we were told bv
he Old warriors that this laundering Of cannon
7as only the prelude 70 a charge upon cur lines.
- - otNA-A U IL NOUll come About .
H,the sudden opening Of musketry firing TO our
Hft Indicated the spot. and in few MINUTES we
earl, above the din, the wild yell with which
be rebels charge. There was no time to think {
hat II meant, before orders came for our brig I
de TO hurry to the left where the lines were now
eng borne back by the enemy. Two regiments c
ad broken for the rear; battery had been Ia =
en-. and our brigade. as the nearest reserve. I
as called to fill the gap. Five companies of il
le 18th, unler Col Randall, led the advance r
he LEFT wing Of the regiment, under Lieut. Col 4
unison, had been supporting battery to the Il
sh' and brought up the rear of the column. f
I'd came mp On the dOuble-quick. - Can you t
take that battery, Colonel - was the question c