Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-01-27
Ghe frre press.
BURLINGTON
FRIDAY MORNING JANUARY y. 1866.

BU BURLINGTON

"''''9H "'i" "'hter OF apliity ana cXpc
TIcncc- who has recently visited The Army Of
the Potomac. has written letter to IN, Ion.
don Star. which Is copied by the Arny ana
Nary Journat, and IN which we fni the fol.
lowing Iassage
',ii- Butler was in New York, and 20, having
l'iiakeu Of the hospitality ofhis Adiutant Cen
e'''.. rode on about SIX miles further to the
nearest point to Richmond in possession Of tbe
FEDERAL Army. This place understood TO be
called Fort Harrison. II is about SIX mile. and
quarter from Richmond. a strong earthen fort
Sua So placed that the 'aking Of it Is quite up-
accountable. l. Is on a hill with a natural gls-
c'S ~ SIX or seven hundred varis. and which
EonH gunner should sweep against al comers-
taxing INTO account an extensive abaftis. which
is Constructed by merely telling the trees and
POINTING them outwarls. II should have heen
ioiisoinc, dangerous work 10 have traverse4i that
long slope. However. there Is the fort in the
hands oi the Federsls he II attribuisbleto 10 pluck
incN-susprisc' trcachcry, scare, or whatever 9TH
er explanation.
The history Of the capture Of Fort Har-
ri>on has not yet been written. and perhaps
never viii b.. But it was one Of the most
brilliant achievements Of the War. The
strength Of the position Il indiutcd by this
English officer and 1t is only necessary to
add tina; the armament Of the fort was cor
rospondingly strong, consisting Of 64 and
100 poundcr,, and an s-inch columbiad. Ii
was PINK, and not luck or treachery which
gave us thi> formidable work Il will he
remembered that Fort Harrison was the
main iorufc'tion and key of tho line of
woEk- on Chapin's Farm. 10 thc carrvin.
OF 'His line on the seth of september last.
th' Eighteenth Corps was assigned and the
tack "i stOrmug the Fort wac given 70 ,icn.
NTtN>aED. of Vermont. The assault ,l,,-
Whore nas made IN line of lat,lc. For the
sto-ninS %. ,he Far;, however. Gen. STAN
hand. believing thar only by ;hc momentum
OF column could it bc carried. formed
hi- DIVISION. 5000 strong. III column bv di
vision, which for the benefit of our uuuiili-
tary reldcrs, We may remark, would make
long column with a narrow front. lie had
asked for brigade 10 cover the right flank
OF hi- column. hut not receiving it. was OBJ
li-.l To- dctach brigade from IS column
far t'4- purpose. - formed. hc ,arrie! his
maH arp-s an ol,n space of 1900 yards. un-
der al the way. and having to order
d'..- n order TO find a practicable opening
100 t.. .'atus ac1o.s the glsci, through
deep d.tcn zap the steep parapct- so steep
that the mca could barely crawl ny ON an
luur-.) sud into rhc tort. zen Stannard
rdD at thr >id, IF rhc column. and lost four
aide -.o, down by hi- -Iic. the last ol whom
lc.i 900 the edge of abe ditch About half
OF the diyi>ian reached the fort. the balance
he.u- maiuIg killed and wounded.
i.. =pture of the Fort made necessary
t'- aiaudonmcnt Of the rest OF their line.
D.. tine rebels, and it was only, az We under
,-.nI 1t. atf,r tLs success OF Srannard's divi-
s.In, that the other divisions succeeded in eff
lcetins loaCmcn, within the entrcnchm,nts
they were TO carry. The rcrulso of the
enemy in 81, effor, r1 retakc the Fort next
day. WAS equally brilliant. The fort it
should 's understood, was open 20 fie roor,
and 81, afsded no protection against an as
-aul, from that direction From want of
rmc and ntrsnchiug tools, not much bad
nacf done in tie Vay Of throwing Up breast
works, and the assault was repulsed by Stan
nard s men, standing without cover ur pro-
lection, in the open ground in the rear Of
tho work, and without the aid OF artillery
The attack wac made under General Ices
eye. IN three lines of battle. was twice re
Toatcd after the hrst repulse, and was press
ci each time 10y the rebel commanders, with
desperate energy. Their Dead lay thlckly
within so yards Of Stannard's lines but
beyond ,hat point, at which his command
opened FIRE. they made no progress.
10 their rcpulse the hot and incessant fire
Of d regiment which had been armed but
day OF two before with Spencer rifles. con-
tributed greatly. 1t was after the final
and dl-orderly retreat OF the enemy, that
Gcn. Stannard, standing on the paraPet OF
Fort Harrison. from which lie had directed
tim, mot successful defence, was struck by a
sharI,,llootcr', hail which shattered his good
RIGHT arm.