Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-01-17

Pah'0 amOHS lHo tutmy' hoH VeTtlDly tuo Oui
lots swept that plain, and ratified like hailstones
among the trees over our heads. The b0ys could
not be restrained in their wild excitement, and
without waiting for orders (for certainly heard
40 order but " halt, and know Of no one
that did, they rushed in after the other brigade,
and we drove the enemy from his first line Of
works. But here wo had to stop. The left Of
the liac had been repulsed, aud we must now
fall back too, or be captured. 1t was 100 bad
Lad We succeeded there, it would have saved US
that bloody fighting two days later, at what is
generally known here 10 the army as " the
slaughter pen"
But on the 18th we forced them from their
line, enabling US to move again to the left The
enemy confronted US again between the rivers
Ny and Po, near Spottsylyania Court House.
, May 18th the Eleventh Regiment joined the
brigade. May =tGu NJ Vaossed VIC Nurth A ma
river at night, and at midnight the Goth we
crossed back again to make another - fan
movement" May 18th we crossed the Panunky
near Hanover Court House. and Juno lst we
came upon the enemy near Coal llarbor. We
charged upon their works there and we're fairly
repGlsed. We have to acknowledge that here
we did not &c. even the first line of the enemy's
works, There was a larger force there than we
expected. We took up our position in woods
near there, and night aud day wo worked busy
as beavers, building works that the Richmond
Enquirer pronounced after we had evacuated,
to be OF the most formidable character.
juno l2sb we left our works there, and moved
to the left again, ainking the enemy once more
June 10th We crossed the james river, and the
18th found us on the Skrmish line in front Of
Petersburg June 23d being on the extreme
left large Share Of our skirmishers, from the
llth and 4:h regiments, were 6ercely attacked
and many Of them captured. June 29Ih our
corps made reconnaissance to Ream' q Station
destroyed several miles Of the Weldon railroad
and July lss returned. A. IL o'clock on The
night of July 9th We had orders to pack up
and march TO City Point, and the next day our
division embarked from that place for Wash
ington. We had been in the fore front OF bat
tie from May 4tb to July 10TH from the Wills
dernoss to Petersburg, and now when the n,ton'
capital was threatened, we hastened to Wash
ingion. We drove tho enemy away from Fort
stephens, drove them out OF Maryland, drove
them through Suckers Gap, and up the Sben-
andoah Valley, and then we returned to the de-
fences Of Washington.
| Again Maryland was threatened BY the rebels
led on by Gen. Early Alter resting at Tennally
Town from Saturday afternoon till the Tuesda,
following, from July 23d to July Goth, W
started after them We marched 10 HsrpAr'
} Ferry and back, then to Cedar Creek and bac
. to Harper's Ferry, with no lighting except
severe skirmish Aug Dist near Chsrlestown, II
place whore the famous John Brown was hun,
! We advanced up the Valley again, and Septou
} Der l9.h fought the battle Of Winchester, OF
/ corps charging several times, and every tim
successfully. September 23i we fought ngai
under the brave Sheridan, and drove the enem
from Fishers Hill, drove them up TO Stantol
; and cut of the Valley entirely. and came very
near doing what President ILincOln once SAID
Meade's army would ultimately do to Lees,
drive them out Of existence. Oct. 18th We
| fought the rebels at Cedar Creek. Here we
claim especial credit for the old Sixth Corps.
When the enemy, ro-cnforced, fell suddenly at
early dawn upon the Eighth and Nineteenth
Corps, creating wild panic almost, and disor
ganzing them 10 great extent, our corps held
in reserve stood firm, and when the enemy came
sxnltingly on with their hellish yell, expecting
sure victory they found only sure defeat. In
turn we drove them back completely routed,
changing defeat into victory for US, and victory
into defeat for them. The material fruits Of
that days work were great, but its moral effect
upon the nations welfare at that critical time,
JUS. on the eve Of Presidential election, is DO.
yond the power Of figures to estimate. Just
imagine tho result had our corps been sent to
Petersburg, as we though. We had gos started to
20 Oct. 18th, leaving Early to defeat the re-
naming portions of the army, and cross once
more into Maryland and Pennsylvania, to wrcak
bis vengeance for the property We had destroyed
10 the Valley. How many timid men would
have been frightened to cast a vote for peace,
that ever afterward they would have been
ashamed Of, though ashamed too aio 10 do any
good? Can there be any doubt on whose side
Gods Providence was there 2
This was our last fighting OF any consequence.
Our record il il could be fully written would
make an interesting page in history. Ii is dyed
deep 10 tho blood of our bravest men. Tho Sixth
Corps has suffered terribly. Our losses have
been heavy. Take oar brigade for example.
We lei, Brandy Station with 3S99 men for da
ty. The actual casualties since then are report
cd to DO 3Os6. The Eleventh Regiment joined
us, and adding their number makes not far from
$500 men all told, now we have only about 1900
Such figures need no comment. They speak for
themselves.
We are now in front Of Petersburg A year
ago Grant had severed the Conicderaoy in twain
and opened up the Mississippi river, now Shef-
man has divided it third tine, and their total
destruction is only question Of timc. Who
eau de,pond now? Looking at what We have
done, and the cause wo had for doing it. can any
mln wish to say to our enemy We will lot by
eonrs be by-gonss, aud uniso again under some
sort Of treaty or compromise God forbid. Blot
out our record aud coun. i. as nothing Give