Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-11-03
Vermont Brigade I'm the Battle Of
October 10th.

The following graphic account OF the
part taken by the Vermont Brigade in
the battle of October 10th is written by
a member Of the 18th Vermont regiment.
His letter is dated "On Picket, Oct. 20,
1882:
"The 10th of September we fought the
battle of Winchester the 10th OF Octo,
Der that of Middletown-and hard |
days work we had Of it yesterday too.
The 9th corps was reported of for Pc |
tersburg. The Johnnies said they 'knew
they could whip the 9Th corps, thought
they could the 10Th, but expected to be
brought up with a round turn when they
struck the eth Kershaw's division
had joined them Ramseur led the at
tack Ga classmate of Col. Warner) and
was MORALLY wounded. They got in
the rear of Crook by night march. got
good thing on him, and drove him off
| from his entertainments almost without
firing a gun, capturing all his camp and
artillery The 10th corps followed suit
these were entrenched. The 9th corps
lay on the right, and at right angles to
the line of the rest. We We're ordered
up-went In at a double quick-but
| weren't big enough alone.
We fscc..ned our division on cresS.
don't know where any of the rest of the
folks were, but our (2d) division, at ex-
actly this part of the day-about A. N.
saved the army The Johnnies
charged right at us, but we wouldn't
stir. They got us back little-the
lines were only three or four rods apart
and we under a terrible artillery fire
so that we were at the bottom of the
hill and the rebels at the top; but we
made little run at them, the best we
could, and back they vent. We had
driven the Southern army. Later in the
day Sheridan sent word to Getty that
he Cor his division) chad outdone him
self" that morning. I'm fact, howev T,
Grant was commanding the division,
Getty the corps, and Wright the army }
|
rest, the rebels fianked US, and we fell
back in remarkably good order, and
found that we had gained time to get
1. the wagons off and to rally the skedad-
dlers, We fell back about two miles
the enemy pressing our skirmishers
hard-and formed our line back of Mid
dletown; the 9th corps on the right o.
the road, the 10Th ON their right, an6
= the 9Th corps back at Newtown--an over
the country, in fact.
Just as we were getting into shape
we saw black horse coming at dead
: run down the pike, with staff and escort
mile behind; and didn't we cheer, and
|, throw up our hats, and halo, aDC
| scream, when "little Phil" dashed of
3 the road and ploughed down in front o
. our line of battle Turn your faces
v the other way, boys, we'll whip EN- be
4 fore night i"-and every one felt thai
< reinforcements had come, and the seal,
was turned. 1t is strange what new
confidence every one felt. Still, Sheri
II ! Qdu COulu only what
v had begun, reform the lines, put in thu
l. cavalry and artillery, and at p. M. tn,
army charged. 1t wasn't any fooling o
I brigade or division, but the line went il
' and went back again in a very few
minutes, all but the Vermont brigade
wkieh got behind a stone wall-th,
country is full of them-and sooulaa'
run. Soon the rest came up again, anC
we got up to another wall, the Vernon
g brigade in advance, as usual, and then
was half an hour before we could max,
them bulge an inch. We went in will
/ fifty rounds of cartridges, and the mer
: were complaining of lack long befor
/, the Johnnies concluded to run. Blu
: finally they "dusted. and the 9th corp,
. was after them with a yel-anothel
skedaddle and pell nell pursuit. TIL,
' active ones wouldn't stop to form a line
J, and the tired ones couldn't keep up, anC
= we didn't want to stop either, but t,
give them no chance to form. The,
turned and fred volley or two at u:
. at different places in the race but a
length our division put their colors il
the rifle pits the 10Th corps had left il
|, the morning, overlooking Cedar Greek
and how we hustled the bullets int,
them as they crowded across the narrow
I bridge I'VE had replenished our car
e fridge boxes with the Johnnies' ammu
r milton, which they had abandoned il
their rum Then the artillery came up
and the cavalry, and Gustav charged
through the creek, up the high hill, into
line Of fire that played ont directly
then it was dark, and we marched back
e to our old camp, and built fires and told
: stories, while the cavalry hustled thu
), enemy through Strasburg and ovel
: Fishers Hill, and got back all the mate
e yiel, and ever so much more; until a
= Vermonter rode through our lines bring.