Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1866-02-16
The Vermont Brigade.

DvlSduo HppcdIs ~ sho A~o" 49,. n
Of last Saturday, written BY "one ~n0
did not belong to 1t, and who never va -
Vermont" 1t will be seen by the tenor %
the article that the writer is no nA"e'e
the relation Of the truth consul
tu,es his production complimentary 70 1ne
gallant /" Green Mountain Boys" Inc
editor says it is from the pen OF . MAYOR
General in the army Of the Potomac;
(" They were honest farmers turned vsg-
abonds. They were simple countrymen
changed into heroes. They were quiet
townsmen that had become rovers. They
stole ancient horses and bony COWS on the
march. They pillased moderately IN oth-
er things. They swept the dairies ana
they stripped the orchards for miles where
they Travelled. They chased rabbits wnen
they went into camp after long marches,
and they yelled like wild Indians when
neighboring camps were silent through "a
tigue. They were ill-disciplined and IA
miliar with their officers. They swagger-
ed in ~ cool, impudent way, ard looked
down with paironizing Yankee coolness
upon all regiments that were better drill
ed, and upon that part Of the army gene
rally that did not belong 10 the Vermont
Brigade. They were strangely proud,
not of themselves individually, but Of the
brigade collectively; for they knew per-
fectly well they were the best Rghtcrs in
the known world. They were long ofIimb,
and could outmareh the army. They were
Individually self-reliant and skillful in the
use Of arms, and they honestly believed
that the Vermont Brigade could not be
beaten by all the combined armies Of the
rebellion.
They were veterans in fighting quail
ties almost from the first skirmish. This
was at Lees Mills. They crossed a mar
row dam under ere, made the attack
they we're inst ucted to make, and came
back wading deep in the water with a
steadiness that surprised The army. They
were an incor,igible, irregular, noisy set
Of rascas- They were much sworn at
during their four years Of service; YET
they were at all times pet brigade.
There were but two things they would DO
r march and fgh, and these they did in a
manner peculiarly their own. They had
a long, slow, swinging stride on the march
! which distanced everything that followed
them. They had quiet, attentive, ear
nest way of fighting that made them ter
rife in battle. Each man knew that Iii
: neighbor in the ranks was not going Il
. run away, and he knew also that he him
: self intended to remain where he was.--
Accordingly none of the attention of tn,
line was directed from the important dut,
of loading and firing, rapidly and careful
ly. When moving into action aud Will,
holly engaged they made queer, quain
jokes, and enjoyed them greatly. The,
crowed like cocks, they ba-a-ed ike sheen
they neighed like horses. thev be,lows,
like bulls, they barked like DOES. and the,
counterfeiied with excellent effect ,he Il
describable mt sic Of the mule. when
perchance, they held q picket line IN ~
forest it seemed as if Nosh's Ark had oon
: 10 pieces there.
: In every engagement ip which sb;s hr;o
ade took part, it was complimented fo
gallant conduct One Of the most remark
able Of its performances, however. n.
never appeared in print. nor ha. !. h.s,
noticed in the reports. After ths ba,,Ie =
Gettysburg, when Lee's army was in ~
vicinity of Hagerstown and the An,;a,. =
the Vermont Brigade was deployed a.
skirmishing line, covering a point of ns.-
ly three miles. The enemy we,a !, Co..
in front near Beaver Greek. tn. s;x,,
corps was held in readiness IN rear of ~,
skirmish-line, anticipating I general :,
oaoAmanf Tha .r. =, .,.