Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-11-18

eaes Ioss of nsrs thau od]D00 p "a
not ID inch Of erosal kaine1S III &b9,
but uadismaysd, AIIowed Lee into 16rr
sylvania and were salleuly hanging 6pon
his rear and dank, covering Washnftos
and Baltimore. In no other quarter
was the sky more propitious. Along the
Coast our armies were at stand ill /;
Milroy had been ov@whelmed 4 Win
chester Grant, then but . mAjr-gensral
and in the infancy az that career vhiCh
has since rivnIlsd ~ fame of the brilliant
Duke Of Marlborough, who, history says,
never besieged city he did not capture
nor fought battle he did not win, still
stood before the frowning Entertainments
of Vicksburgh. Though himself confident,
the country doubted. Banks, in the heart
of hostile region remote from his base,
was confronted by force superior TO his
own, and could only await events in other
quarters. Such was the political and
military situation when, on the LIST Of July,
1863, Lee, deeming his battalions irwin
chile, resolved to wipe out the Army OF
the Potomac, the only hindrance to his
splendid schemes, and suddenly turning,
fell like thunderbolI upon the LIST Corps,
under Reynolds, at Gettysburgh. This
was signal for the concentration of the
Army of the Potomac and the gallant
Sickles, who had positive orders to hold
Emmitsburgh cat all hazards" and be
ready to concentrate on Pipe Greek, line
Is miles to the rear, at neither Of which
places was there any enemy nor anything
to do, promptly pushed his corps in the
direction of the fighting, and reached the
| field in season to save the remnant of the
| 1st Corps from utter humiliation, and the
18th Corps the necessity of further 81 tall
running y for that day at least. About the
same time the I'd Vermont Brigade, under
our own standard, took up its place in the
thinned ranks of the first Corp. The
darkness which closed In upon the disasters
of that day was not more oppressive than
the gloomy forebodings which filed the
hearts Of the American people. The frag
ment of the army then IN line also shared,
in a measure, those forebodings. The TO-
600 killed, wounded and missing in that
first days work was fully one eighth of
Meade's entire force, only about onethird
Of which then confronted the enemy. The
whereabouts Of the rest of the army, with
its commander, was unknown, at least to
the men and subordinate officers Unless
it came up, the second day could be but a
repetition of the first.
Welcome disturbances 60 the weary
sleepers that night were che short, sharp
commands, "hIt," front" s'right" or 'left
dress" as the case might be,whlch com
mands run through much of the night and
intervals Of the next day until about p. NJ,
when, by a forced march of Sc miles, the 9th
Corps, g Sedgewick's gamecocks," g with
the Vermonters still ahead" wheeled into
line and the Army of the Potomac was
ready for battle; in fact, then more than
an hour briskly engaged. And here,
In passing, word about the 0ccidsatal
manner in which it became engaged. as at
least new to some.
Meade reached the field during the
night after our first days fighting, and in
the morning overlooked the situation and
was dissatisfied He thought Pipe Greek
better place. Sickles had the day be-
fore sent word to Meade that he had gone
to the relief of Howard at Gettysburgh
and suggested the propriety of concentrat-
ing at that point. Thus the responsibility
of that selection was largely upon him,
and Wi th true manliness, himself took tire
only weak place in what must be CO n
eeded was a naturally strong line for a
defensive battle and j. should be REM IN
bered that We were then on the defen sive.
Under these circumstances Sickles, per-
haps made a little anxious by the adverse
judgment Of Meade, aud because, too. Of
the exposure Of his position, thortght to
improve II by occupying a ridg in his
front and moved ont for that purpose
But the praatiaed eye Of Lee 1t Gems had
caught this same ridge or threatening
rornd-top hill ON our left, which in turn
threatened the whole federal position and
rad ordered LonIstreet To- take possession
Of II winch he was then in the act of doing.
Thus IN manuuverlng for the crest of this
ridge, Slckles, with his corps and the
whole left wing Of the army, became un-
expectedly engaged, TO the great chagrln
of Meade, who was still intent upon falling
back to his favorite position near Saney-
town. Some have spoken of this step on
the part Of Sickles as unfortunate. In
my Judgment history will record il other
wise. fl is not my purpose, however, on
this occasion to defend it.; my only object
is TO show how that step precipitated the
| engagement, aud prevented the possible
retreat of the army 10 Pipe Greek.
"A grain Of dust
Sollil ., cur cup. y III make our sense REJECT
tashdionsy, The draft we did thirst for;
rusty nail placed near the faithful Complss,
Will sway i nom The truth, and week tue
argcsy
That movement Of Sickles was the
rusty nalI' which drew TO wreck the
argosvH Of the rebellion Only for that,
the battle Of Gettysburgh might never
have been fought, for at that very moment
Meade vas in council with his corps com
manders, on the question of falling back ;
to which Sickles, though summoned, had
not reported, being busy with his change
Of position A second order, however, of
a peremptory character, brought him to
headquarters, but he did not dismount.
His corps was already iicrcely attacked in
front and Hank by Longstreet, which at
once broke up the council and turned at
tnnica b. business Thus mas inauguratel
t'le uttAN n.y. ti5 VI this thc great I'iFDldi
battle Of the war I; and for two days the
rebel horde sureed against the iron wall Of
the Army Of the Potomac IN vain. For
two days anxiety and suspense Were de-
picted on every countenance in the land.
Should the Army of the Potomac give
way, then all was lost For two days the
heart of Ibe great loyal North stood STILL
All hearts were turned to Gettyslurgh.
The Vermont heart, too, was turned to
Gettysburgh. She was represented on
that field by Two brigades Of infantry and
her regiment Of cavalry, and they were
not idle Time, however, forbids de-
tailed statement of the gallantry of each
organization, besides the record which each
there made is known to all so, too, is the
honor and glory which Vermont there
won i'm GIVING the finishino siroke to the