Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-07-28
BOYS AT GETTYSBURG.

NEhMONI Buy y Al Obi Sbbhu'
The great celebration the last Fourth was
at Gettysburg, where national monument
was dedicated, with an Grafton from Maj
Gen. Howard, who took so important part
in winning the victory there two years previ-
GUS. In the account Of this celebration,
" Carleton" revives considerable Of the his
tory of the battle. After recounting the po-
sitions of different brigades and divisions Of
the Union army on that notable Sd day Of
July, 1868. he thus speaks Of the part acted
BY the
GREEN MOUNTAIN boys.
" Now leaving this line Of men in blue,
and walking directly from the last oak trees
mentioned west, six or eight rods toward
Codori's house, we find a shallow ditcn, yet
remaining partly concealed by small scrub
oaks There we're the nine month Vermont
boy, under Stannard. All through the
second day they lay in reserve in the rear Of
the cemetery, where the shells rained upon
them from right and left and front. | saw
them lying fat on their faces but on the
third day they were lying here, in advance Of
all others, the right men in the right place.
Their mus kets were Of Sufficient range to Gre
deadly volleys the moment the rebels crossed
the road and began to advance from CodorI's
house
At that moment the rebels began to feel
the pel,ings OF such storm as they never
felt before, from the batteries already enumer-
ated, taking them in front and on the right
flank. To escape that storm on their right
from the sixty four gGns. they DETECTED to-
ward the north or rather obeyingthe orders
of Longstreet to close by the left. This
threw them past Stannard's right flank
The blood Of the Vermont boys was up
They were ready for a charge. He had but
to give the word, and two regiments, thu
18Th aud 18th. sprang to their feet. They
mad faced southwest. They swung round
toward the northwest and moved forward into
the rear Of Kempes brigade of Virgiuians,
five regiments Now is your time, boys"
said Hancock, and Harrow's men also sprang
to their feet and pushed upon tho flank OF
Kempe.
At this moment the scene was of intense
interest, for Gsrnett's and Armistead's troops
had reached be fence by the thicket, and
Halls and Hayes troops were obliged to fall
back and stand behind toe guns Some of
the men of the l7th VifginiA and some Of the
18th rushed upon the guns aud were blown
to pieces. here were desperate hand-to-
hand fights, bayonet thrusts and sabre strokes.
When walked along the lines, after the reb-
els were repulsed, while the killed and woun-
ded we're lying where they fell, | saw men in
gray and men in blue, side by side, their
blood fl wing from ghastly wounds, and min
Cling in one stream. That was the only place
where the rebels reached our lines. That lie
I the highest flow OF tide. 1t high water
only "a moment, for the Vermont boys were
in the rear of the rebsl-, pouring their volleys
into their backs. Hayes men spang out
from above the grove and penned them-how "
many do not remember Very few of Gar
nett's and Kempe's men recrossed the Em
mctsourg road
Wlcox's division, which was behint
Kempe's @as broken by the terrible fire o
the batteries and the other two Vermont reg
iments gathered up large number of strag
xlers. The Green Mountain State won iol
herself on that day laurel which never viii
fade.
O, how it stirs ones blood, to stand upor
this spot, to recall that scene, walk over The
ground, trace the yet visible outlines Of thu
conf ct sad read the historic record tina
here the hopes and expectations Of the Con
federacy began to wane-that there the iutur'
Of our country began to brighten!