Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-11-03
From the Tenth Vermont. 80 The
Hattie OF Cedar Creek. Oct. 10.
1854. ..-I-.
ioFFIoIAL.l
CAMP l0TH VERMONT Vol. INF, }

i Y
Near Middletown, Va, Oct. 20. .
Gen. p. r. WashJmn, Aft and b,sp. Gen.
SIR;-I have the honor to submit the
following report Of the part taken by
this regiment in the battle fought at
this place on yesterday the 10th inst
The regiment went into action with
| IL officers and 260 men in line of battle.
About 6 A. NJ, very heavy attack
was made on the left of the general line.
Soon after daylight the 9th corps was
| formed In line of battle, at right angles
TO our original position, and facing to-
wards what had been the left flank. The
| enemy had at this time broken the left,
| and the fugitives, with wagons, Sc,
were constantly passing our line. About
| half past seven o'clock the enemy opened
very severe fire of artillery and mus
| kerry from commanding crest which
they had gained in front of the line we
! had newly taken up. Their fire, well
directed, swept the ground we occupied,
-h'le they ATTEMPTED to cross the val
lev in our IT. Under the seye.. "'e
from the front, increased by partially
enfilading fire from hill on the right,
| our line fell back to low ridge about
400 yards in rear of that at first oecu-
pied The rebels advanced their line of
battle to the crest we had left. When
our line fell back, three pieces of Capt.
Meningitis battery M, 9th U. S. had
been left, and the rebels advanced to these
guns. Seeing this, charge war ordered,
| and the regiment, with the colors in ad-
vance, charged up to the guns and re-
covered them. Sergt. Vim. Mahoney, of
Co. E, color bearer of the regiment was
the first to reach the guns, planting the
colors upon one of them. The rebels
gave way in confusion, and fed across
the valley and over the ridge beyond
The recaptured guns were drawn of, it
being necessary TO draw two of them
some distance by hand.
The rebels having rallied, poured in a
heavy fire from the front and right a
heavy column advancing up the valley
from that direction. The troops on the
left falling back beyond our line, we
We're soon exposed to fire from that
flank also The loss at this point was
very severe, and the line fell back to the
second ridge. Here a stand was made,
and the rebels Were again driven from
the crest In front, which they attempted
| to carry. But pursuing their advantage
on the left. they soon tianked US in such
| force as to compel q retreat of the whole
! line. Although broken and somewhat
| scattered in places the line fell back
| slowly, the men constantly turning and
| firing. In this way we retired about a
mile, the enemy having all the time
cross fire of musketry upon us, as well
as sharp fire from several guns COM
manding the whole plain. Capt. L. D.
| Thompson, commanding Co. d, was
killed while thus retreating, and the
loss was very heavy.
| Reaching a cross road, the line was
halted and re- formed about NJ. The
| enemy forebore to press US further ON
this point, but as they advanced on our
left our line was withdrawn some dis
tance further.
| At this time Gen. Sheridan arrived ON
the field The line was Immediately re-
formed Breastworks of rails and logs
were thrown up, in which we lay until
| about $3.50 p. NJ, when general advance
was ordered. The regiment, with the
general line of the division, moved for
ward through woods into an open field,
where the advance was checked for a
few minutes, until the remainder Of the
line coming up, we again pushed On and
drove the rebels from strong position
behind stone wall, forcing them back
about half mile Here they took up
very strong position on continuous
ridge, along the crest of which ran a
stone wall and made determined stand.
The fire was incessant and very heavy
for about half an hour, but the enemy
finally gave way before our fire. A gen
eral charge was ordered, and the troops
advancing on the run. the rebels gave
way in complete disorder, The cavalry
took up the pursuit, and little resistance
was attempted after this time. In the
last charge Sergt. Mahoney, color bearer,
was shot dead while gallantly advanc-
ing with the colors at the front Of the
regiment.
We advanced over the battle e-ground
of the morning, and soon after dark
took possession of our old camps.
1t is impossible to particularize any
officers or men, where ali so fully per-
formed their duty and behaved so no.
bly,. .
Adjt. Lyman was wounded while fall
ing back from the first position, while
encouraging the men by voice and ex-
ample, and most gallantly performing
the duties of his position.
Capt. Dewey, Co. A, commanded the
regiment during the last charge, and led
it through that severe engagement in
manner calling for high commenda-
ton.
A list Of the casualties in the regi-
ment is enclosed. The loss isvery great,
being, as will be seen, about one-third
of the total number engaged
remain very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
WIZ. w. HBNRY,
Col. Com'd'g 10th Regt. vt. Vols.