Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-02-21
The Vermont Brigade.

The following description of this
noted brigade appears in the New
York Citizen of last Saturday writ
ten by 'one who did not belong to It,
and who never was in Vermont It
will be seen by the tenor of the arti-
ticle that the writer is no flatterer,
although the relation of the truth con
stitutes his production complimentary
to the gallant "Green Mountain Boys"
The editor says it is from the pen of
a Major General in the army of the
Potomac:
"They were honest farmers turned
vagabonds. They were simple coun-
trymen turned into heroes. They
stole ancient horses and bony COWS on
the march. They pillaged moderate
Iy in other things. They swept the
doipie- aud they stripped rne orchards
for miles where they travelled. They
chased rabbits when they went into
camp after long marches, and they
yelled like wild Indians when neigh
boring camps were silent through fa-
tigue. They were ill-disciplined and
familiar with their Officer; They
staggered in a cool, impudent way,
and looked down with a patronizing
Yankee GOODNESS upon all regiments
that were better drilled, and upon
that part Of the army generally that
did not belong to the Vermont Brig
adc. They were strangely proud, not
Of themselves individually, but of the
brigade collectively; tor they knew
perfectly we'll that they were the best
irhter5 in the known world. They
were long ofIimb, and could outmarch
the army. They were individually
scll-rc!iant and skilltul i'll the use of
arms, and they honestly believed that
the Vermont Brigade could not be
beaten bv all the combined armies Of
the rebellion,
They were veterans in fighting
qualities almost from their first skir-
mish. This was at Lees Mills. They
crossed a narrow dam under a fire,
made the attack they were ordered to
make. and came back wading deep in
the water with a steadiness that sur
prised the army. They were an in
corrigible. irregular, noisy set of ras-
Gals. They were much sworn at du-
ring their four years Of service; yet
they were at all times pet brigade.
There were but two things they would
do-march and fight: and these thcI,
did in a manner peculiarly their own.
They had long, slow, swinging stride
on the march which distanced every
thing that followed them. They had
a quiet, attentive, earnest. individual
way Of fighting that made them terrific
in battle. Each man knew that his
neighbOr in the ranks was not going
to run away, and he knew also that
he himself intended to remain where
he was. Accordingly none of the at
tention Of the line was directed from
the important duty of loading and fir
iug, rapidly and carefully, Wher
moving into action and while hotl,
engaged they III de queer, quain
jokes, and enjoyed them greatly
/, They crowed like cocks, they ba-a-,
like sheep, they neighed like horses
, they beloved like bulls, they barke'
: like dogs, ard they counterfeitcd wit
; excellent effect the indescribable mt
4 sic of the mule When, perchancC
e they held a picket line in the fores
= it seemed as if Noah's Ark had gon
Y to pieces there.
c In every engagement in which thi
q brigade took part, it was compliment
;, ed for gallant conduct. One of tn
/. most remarkable Of its performance
c however, has never appeared in prin
|. nor has il been noticed in the report
l. After the battle OF Gettysburg, whe
5 Lees army was in the vicinity of Fl;
/ g1rstown and the Antietam, the We
i mol Bri-alc was deployed as a ski
mi~hilg line. covering point Ofnea
o " three miles The enemy were
!. force in froltncar B Btayercreek. T.
a sixth corps was held in readiness
l. rear OF the skirmi6h- line, anticipati,
ID a general cnra cement. The enen
re had evidently determined to attac
10 At last his line Of battle came forwar
The batteries opened at once and tt
T. sEIirmishers delivered their fire, o
r. troops were on the alert and sto
I'd watching to see the skirmiSher8 COZ
NJ in and waiting to receive the comi
a assault. But tie skirmishers wOU
iv- not come in, and when the firing di
away it appeared that the Vermo
- ers thus deployed as a skirmish Ii
ith had repulsed a full line-ofbattle
de tack. Twice afterward the enemy
in vanced to carry the position and W.
ct. each time again driven back by
70, perverse skirmish line. The Y
nd monters it is true were strongly pc
yes ed in a wood, and each man fired r
0. behind a tree. But then every be
to- knows that the etiquette in such II
ters is for skirmish line to. come
so soon as they are satisfied that
um enemy means business. These 5
pic minded patriots from the Cir
uch Mountains, however adopted a /
of their own on this occasion;
less the enemy, disguised with such stu
nv itv, retired across the Beaver Cr'
y When the Vermonters led the
rm. umn on the march, their quick m
ments had to be regulated from ct
or division headquarters, to a
AVE gaps in the column as it follower tt
If a rapid or forced march were
quired, it was common thing
and Sedgwick to say with quiet smi
Put the Vermonters at the head
the column to-day and keep eN
amt thing we'll closed up
After the riots in New York, '
it was found necessary to send tr
the to the city to prevent recurrenc