Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-05-12
: The Vermont Brigade I'm the Battles near
Petersburg.
OFFICIAL REPORT.

e. burn for the following official report Of the pa
taken By the Vermont Brigade in the desisi|
4 battle of April I'd, near Petersburg.
HEADouARTERs VERMONT BRIGADE.l
, Camp n>sr Burksvlle, Va, April Is.
Pcfsr 7. tFasA5urn. .4djHiaHt and IasPeeio
z General,
SIX: have the honor to herewith transmi
the report Of Brevet Major Merritt Barter, A
General, Of the operations and conduct Of IL;
7 brigade at the decisive battle near Petersburg
April ID, 1865. Great credit is due 10 MAJOR
bareer for the gallant snd conspicuous part
taken by hin on the occasion.
Wounded early n the morning, | claim NJ
part in the crOwning victories OF the day except
n the planning and direction Of TIE assault up
on the enemy's works But to the brave off,
GERS and men who carried the works, captured
,Uo battle flags, several batteries and many
prisoners, and contributed 90 largely to the
brilliant victories Of the day, too much praise
cannot be awarded.
Il iss matter OF great gEE,iecation 10 me that
was able TO join in the pursuit of lees retreat
ing army and to be with my command IN ,he
great and triumphant hour And hope scuc
10 have the privilege-''I ask no prouder fame
to return to Vermont at the head Of the brave
and victorious cold Brigade" to resume again
the quiet and peaceful pursuits Of civil life.
remain General,
Very respectfully
Your obd't servant.
T.. 4. GRtyT
Breyet Maj. Gen, Comd :.
HE,Do'Rs VEExoyr BuIGADE.)
April 18th. 1855
Brsrsi WI. Gen. L. 4. Grant:
Sir-Nf VOW racres+ I have tho
honor to report the part taken by this command
in the engagement of the ID inst, which resulted
in the capture Of Petersburg.
The brigade moved out from camp AZ ! I O'Clock
P NJ, passed through the line OF works near
fo-t WEIGH, and was silently placed in position
in column o. -egiments close up TO the intrenched
skrmish line captured from the enemy on the !
18th Of March. The order q me regiments in
column from front 10 rear, was as follors The /
9th VI, It. Col K. 4. kennedy, commanding;
u Vt, 1t. Col A. :. Tracy. commanding;
6th Vt, Maj. William J. Sperry, commanding; /
4th Vt, Capt. Geo II. Amidon. commanding; .
"a Vt, Breyei Col H.W Floyd, commanding; .
llth It., n ,vo battalons, under command Of .
Mai. G. D. So=lss, and Capt. J. d. Saforl, I
respectivey-the two Jeay rnder command Of .
1t Col Charles Hunsdon.
By one O'Clock A. VI. the whole couir-a-Jl had /
taken position and laid down to await the dl-po- I
sition Of the troops upon the right and left.
About two O'Clock q heavy FIRE was opened along
the sSirmish line, which WAS vigorously repliei
70 by the skirmishers Of the enemy.
Du-ing this IRE We were sadly grieved to learn
that you hGd been severey wounded in the head
By = minnie bullet and you'd require immediate
treatment
The troops being in position an eTe-7thing in
resiiness 81 o'clock A. NJ. precisely, the signal
owing 70 the heavy cannonading which WAS kept
up ST intervals during the night, il was not un-
derttood. soon, however, 1t was learned that
the signal had been given. and ours being the
guiding brigade, that the troops the right
and leit we're waiting for US to advance The
command Immediately moved forward over the
works of the skirmifh line and passed on steadily
and silently until they hed nearly reached the
first line Of the ensmy's entrenchnents, when
they we're discovered by their skirmishers, who
delivered a weak and scattering volley, and then
fed The alarm having been gwen, and silence
no longer necessary, a cheer that has been heard
on nearly every battlefield in Virginia went up
from ten thousand brave hearts and told the story
to friend and zoe, that the eth Corps Was on a
charge and pushing for the main works Of the
enemy, about 500 yards in is front After
passing over about half the distance the enemy I
began 70 pour in = Well-directei musket-T FIRE !
from the front and artillery FIRE from the forts on
either hand. which completely enfiladed the line
and caused It to Esver This was the most criti-
cal moment throughout the entire en- rgagement.
Day was Just beginning to dawn, and very soon
the enemy would be able TO discover our precis
position and movements Theylhsd also become
apprised Of the point OF attack and were sppar- ,
emily beginning to appreciate its importance,
and were fastening to meet it with all the ,
strength al their disposal !
But 10 the credit Of the command, the hesi-
taton was but momentsry, and the tro0rs again
pushed forward with determination that knew !
no such word as fail The remaining portion
Of the ground was passed over under most
Eithering fire Of musketry. but with gallsnry ,
that wss never surpassed, andtwhich betokenel ,
the victory subsequently Won. Officers Snd men
We'd with each other in the race for the works.
and al organization was lost in the esgerness
ami enthusiasm Of the troops. The line OF alb
Attis Wss brushed away like oob-Tebs, and the
men swarmed over the works with yells and
cheers that struck terror TO the rebels flying in
all directions
In crossing the ground in front OF the sbattis, ;
the casualties we're very numerous. Lieut. Geo.
D. French, llth Vt, WAS instantly killed while
gallantly cheering on his men, and Lieut.sG. c.
Hawkins, ID Vt, sctng sdjutant 18th Vt, very
dangerously wounded while leading the men
forward with an enthusiasm deserving Of all
praise. Breyet Major f. G. Bsllou, ever con-
spicuous in engagements, was also wounded by a
piece of shell and obliged to retire from the field,
but returned during the afternoon.
II is confidently believed that Capt. Chas. g.
Gould, Of the 9TH Vt, was the first man Of the
9th Corps, who mounted the enemy's works
His regiment was in the first line OF the brigade,
and in the charge he Was far in the advance of
- ~
received severe bayonet wound in the .ace and
was struck several times with clubbed muskets,
but brayely stood his ground, killing with his
sabre the man who bsynneted him, and retiring
from the works only after his comrades came to
his assistance and routed the enemy from their
lines.
Two earthworks, one 10 the right Of the IA
vine containing four guns, and the other TO the
left containing two guns, were here captured.-
After crossing the works the brigade pushed for
ward TO the crest Of the hill in the rear where a
short halt was ordered for the purpose Of re-
forming.
The organization obtained here was very in
complete, owing to the esgerness Of the troops
70 pursue the enemy, who were making for the
woods in the rear, but with such organization
as il had, the brigade turning TO the left, moved
forward about half mile and halted At the
edge Of dense wood to reform The brigade
was here formed in single line in numerical or
der from right to left, the llth connecting with
the Third division, and about half mile dis
tant from the INSIDE Of the eneny's works.
The lines being formed, the whole command
pushed forward vigorously through thickets,
swsmps and pine woods, soon losing al organi-
Istion again in the ergerness Of the men to sur
pass each other in the pursuit Of the enemy,
who we're being pursued 50 closely, that they
could scarcely FIRE shot, and appeared to have
given up all idea Of resistance, and were only
desirou. to be taken prisoners In this manner
the pursuit continued for about four niles, in
direction nearly parallel with the works, until
Bsrley's house, near Hstcher's Run, vss reach
ed, where the brigade was halted forS few min