The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-03-01

cred by Early's now concentrated army.
They were lost to our sight in the fog,
but we could hear the noise Of their bat
tie, and we knew that they were fighting
desperately Nearly every field officer
in the lst division (Wheaton's) was killed
or wounded. General Ricketts,, in com.
mand Of the corps, was wounded almost
mortally. The 10th VT, in the Sd divi-
sion, went back long distance after COM
mencing its retreat, in the face of the
leaden rain, to recapture and save a bat
terry from which the horses had been shot,
dragging off its guns by hand. Twenty
four cannon had now been lost, and the
enemy had hardly been checked for a
moment.
As Getty's division moved by the left
across the plain in the rear Of the late
camping ground, making, as mentioned a.
bove, for the high ground near the pike,
the prospect was dreary enough. am
utterly unable to describe the universal
confusion and dismay that we encounter.
ed. Wagons and ambulances numbering
hither and thither in disorder; pack
horses led by frightened bummers, Or wan
dering at their own free will crowds of
officers and men, some shod and some
barefoot, many of them coatlcss and hat
less few without their rifles, but all rush
ing wildly to the rear oaths and blows
alike powerless to halt them a cavalry
regiment stretched across the field, unable
to stem the torrent; and added to the
confusion and CONSERVATION the frequent
sight of blood, ambulances, wagons, men,
stained and dripping, with here and there
a corpse while the whistling bullets and
the shrieking shell told that the enemy
knew their advantage and their ground.
1t was sight that might well have de-
moralired the Old Guard of the first Ma
polcon.
As our division reached Meadow Run,
Ia branch of Cedar Greek, deep brook
that annoyed US continually during the
operations of the day, we received a fire
from the enemy's skirmishers in piece
of woods near by. which compelled Gen.
Getty to abandon his intention of reach
ing the pike and to go into line on the
immediate left of the first division, q lit.
tie to its rear. The 9th and 9th Yer
mont, under command of Maj. Enoch Il.
johnson, of the I'd, then commanding the
9th, and Maj. Walkers battalion of the
llth VT, were ordered forward to clear
the woods Promptly deploying as skir-
mishers. they advanced for the time sue
sessfully. reaching the further edge of the
forest and halting under cover Of the trees,
SO far to the front that they were much
annoyed by the fire of our own batteries
from behind the division. The position
was a good one, and continuous line was
arranged covering completely the whole
division front. Tins, for the FIRST time
during the day the enemy was opposed
by the regular formation of skirmisf
line masking a line Of battle. Still. the
skirmishers in the confusion and the foe
feared that there might yet remain some
of our own troops in their front, and be.
ing almost literally in the dark, hesitated
about opening fire. At last scattered
line was dimly seen approaching through
the mist which felt no such hesitation
giving us volley which at once convinc
ed us that the skirmishers of the enemy
were upon us. Their progress was stop
ped without difficulty. but double lin,
of infantry was soon made out moving
forward in perfect array, the front lin,
firing heavily as they came, evidently
supposing that large force was stationed
in our little forest and our skirmisher
at once falling back, as was their duty
rejoined their division, leaving severa
wounded where they fell.
Meanwhile Gen. Getty, forming his di
vision in two lines, had advanced acros
the run to the prolongation of the lin'
held by the first division but that com
mand, at last routed in turn by the heav,
force ofthe enemy thrown against it,brok
in confusion and fell back, passing througl
the artillery Of the corps. Getty wa
now left alone upon the field. Seeing
strong semi-circular crest behind the run
he fell back about three hundred yard
and occupied it with his division, throw
ing Warmers lst brigade from the sec
ond lne to the right Of the division, il
order to cover as much ground as posi-
ble the Vermont (2d) brigade being il
the centre on Warmers left. and Bid
wells (3d) brigade on Grants left War
ner aud Bidwell being partly covered b.
woods, hut our own brigade being i
an open field Warmers brigade wa
! 'in the air" all our troops in that direc
tion having retired; Bidwell's left con
nected with cavalry skirmish line, bend
ing toward the rear. The position wa
) on the whole an excellent one, however
notwithstanding there were no works
walls, or fences, the men lying down jus
behind the top Of the hill, while fe'
skirmishers from each regimont were 9
gain sent forward over the ridge.
The assault was not long delayed Tn
enemy charged in full line of battl
against our brigade, and the left of Wa
ner's They pressed their advance wit
great determination. but il was unavai
ing and they presently retired across tt
: run into the fog, which from this time b,
, gan to disappear. Our skirmishers agai
! followed over the crest. The rebels no
l concentrated terrible fire of artillery III
on our position, and shells from thirty guI
flew, screaming devilishly. over an
among us, The men hugged the groun
J, being somewhat covered by the hill. al
i owing to the cover thus obtained, the 10
: asGencral Getty says, "was lighter tha
could be expected"
After cannonade lasting for half
+ hour, our skirmishers announced anoth
= charge and the men stood, or knelt rat
c er, to their guns. On the rebels cam
c through the woods, straight against Ri
C wells line aud the left of Grants, with
l. vigor that promised success. As tn,
> pressed US harder and harder, the lin
o being hut few yards apart, Bidwel