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

with field glass, he was brought to the
ground, seriously wounded in his previous.
ly unfortunate left leg, aud disabled for
months. 1.
While thus waiting for the complete
reformation Of the army, sulkily, and il is
to be feared profanely growing over the
defeat in detail which we had experien-
ced, though not in the least disposed to
admit that our division had been whipped,
in fact little proud Of what we had al
ready done, and expecting the rebel
charge which we grew more and more
confident we should repulse, we heard
cheers behind us on the pike. We were
astounded. There we stood, driven four
miles already, quietly waiting for what
might be further and immediate disaster,
while far in the rear we heard the strap-
glers and hospital bummers, and the gun
less artillerymen actually cheering as
though victory had been won. We could
hardly believe our ears.
The explanation soon came, in the ap-
partition which Buchanan Reads as yet
embryonic but now well-known poem has
made familiar. AS the sturdy, fiery Sher-
idan, on his sturdy, fiery stccd, faxed
with foam from his two hours mad gallop-
ing, wheeled from the pike and dashed
down the line, our division also broke
forth into the most tumultuous applause.
Ardent General Custer first stopped the
wonderful Inspirer, and kissed him before
his men. His next halt was before our
own brigade. Such scene as his pres.
ence produced and such emotions as il
awokc cannot be realized once in a cen.
tury. All outward manifestations were
as enthusa astic as men are capable of ex.
hibiting; cheers seemed to come from
throats of brass, and caps were thrown to
the tops Of scattering oaks but beneath
and yet superior to these noisy demonstra.
tions, there was in every heart revul-
sion Of feeling, and Il pressure of emotion
beyond description. No more doubt OF
chance for doubt existed we were safe
perfectly and unconditionally safe. and
every man knew it.
When our greeting had somewhat sub.
sided, Colonel Tracy, the first man in the
corps to address him, rode up, hat in hand
saying, "General, we're glad to see you. -
"Well, by c., I'm glad to be here" ex.
claimed the General, What troops arc
these ?" Sixth corps Vermont brigader
was shouted from the ranks His answer
was as prompt: "All right! We're all
right Well have our camps by night =
and he galloped on. So soon had he de-
termined to defeat the enemy. He soor
met General Wright, and suggested tha,
We would hght on Getty's line" sending
us word meanwhile that Getty's division
had out done itself that morning.
1t was now about noon. The next houl
was spent by the General in riding
through the whole command, confirming
Wright's dispositions, and inspiriting the
troops by his presence and his words. II,
thus surveyed the entire field, and fel
that he was master of the position. Gen
eral Wright General Getty, and Genera
Grant returned to their commands. Gus
ter's cavalry was again moved by ou
rear to the right Of the army. About
o'clock the Vermont brigade was hastil,
taken through the woods to point in rea
Of the 10Th corps, where. the enemy wer,
pressing, but the attack was easily re
pulsed without our assistance. Then W,
returned to Il little spot whore we wer,
concealed from the cnemy's view, bu
from which We could in moment reacl
our old position in the line, and where W,
quietly waited for the order to advance
In ten minutes halfthe men, with genuin,
soldier nonchalance, were fast asleep.
Shcridans plan of battle was ,omcthin,
as follows:
To throw forward the right, 10Th corp
and cavalry, striking the lef, of the enc
my and turning it, if possible to occup,
: the rest Of his line by a sharp attack, bu
especially to ovcrwhclm his left, the who'll
army following the movement in gran,
left wheel. With this view the 18th corps
our left, was drawn up in one line, con
siderably extended, while the 10Th wa
masscd in two lines, its flank weighted b,
/ the cavalry.
, Time was consumed ia making tn
necessary dispositions aud in distributing
ammunition, so that it was nearly o
3 clock when the few guns we had remain
/ ing commenced their ante-battle salute
t The challenge was promptly answered
, aud at the appointed time the whole lin
; advanced against the enemy. Thei
. stragglers had been collected, their lin
5 was well closed up and strongly postec
, and their advance would soon have bee
resumed had not our army taken tho il
. itiative, The long thin line of the ct
$ corps was thus hurled against a very hes
, Wy line of the enemy, covered throughou
by y series Of stone walls.
Y Our own division was now the only on
e in our sight, the rest of the battle cou
e mencing in the woods. So it happcne
that as French's brigade on Grants lef
a General Bidwell being absent and dyinl
e crossed II long open field into the line Q
4 fire that famed from the wall before then
4 being ordered to move slowly as the piv,
II Of the army wheel, it staggered, and I
!. last fell back to its starting place. Wa
: ner's troops, on our right, had oblique
a over hill, where we could no longer 5.
: them we were, therefore, forced to ha
e behind fortunate wall, low, and ju
: long enough to cover our brigade, where v
y opened fire. Directly in front of our p'
d sition were house, mill, and other ou
" buildings, swarming with the enemy, o,
g only approach to which was along ma
c row road by the side of little mill-por
&c formed by dam across our old ammo
&c ance, Meadow Run.
fl French's broken brigade, seeing tn
= We refused to retire, rallied with very Ii
Al tie delay, and again advanced to Il
c. charge, this time by General Getty's
t. rection on the double quick, its comma
" der having complained that he could n
IN take his men over the open field at