Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-10-05

their lives at the head of their command,
while most nobly doing battle for the cause
aud uphoding the honor of our State. Lieu
tenant Henry, who has survived all the shocks
Of battle, and who is with US tonight, and
God grant he may be with us on many an oc-
cason like this, became Colonel in due course
Of promotion from captaincy in the Tenth
Regiment, aud received a broyet commission
as Brigader, for gallantry and mertorious
conduct Lieutenant johnson attained to the
rank Of Lieut.-Colonel in the old regiment,
where he did most nobly his duty to the end
Of the war; and after having endured and
withstood the hardshps Of camp for four
years, like many other Of our noble and wor-
thy companions, returned to his home to sicken
aud die by ordinary disease His command
ing person, and his frank and manly bearing,
and his companionabe department are fresh in
the memory Of all aud need but allude to
bis sad case to enlist the sympathy and un
welcome tear Of all who knew him. Lieu
tenant Tracy Of company II. was promoted to
the Colonelcy of the regiment which position
he held at the close of the war.
The first man killed in the regiment was
Corporal Russell II. Benjamin, of company G,
who was one Of the color guard, and was hit
by q shell aud Instantly killed, at the first
Bull Run battle as the regiment was cross
ing the plain between Sudy's Ford and the
Warrenton Turnpike, and close by the hay
stack at John Dogan's house. The same
shell relieved osr worthy friend, Capt. Wood
bury, Of his good right arm, so that it is not
his fault that he only sports one arm here to-
night. The Captain at that time was a SER
geant in company II, and received his promo
ton to a Captaincy with only one arm and
it was the more creditable to him as the Gov
ernment had previously issued an order that
men in that condition should not be mustered
into higher grades.
You will pardon me for alludng to the
principal battles in which the regiment took
part The Second Regiment was the only
Vermont regiment that participated in the
FIRST battle Of Bull Run, and true to our pur-
pose Of distinguishing ourselves wherever We
were, we as much distinguished ourselves
there for our running qualities, as we did af-
terwards for our fighting qualities But as
running was the order of the day on that &C.
casion, we should have appeared odd if we
had not run, and might have been counted
green, but we were bound to save our honor
and keep up appearances. have often
thought that we did not, however, run on that
occasion so fast as many other troops, and
| the reason was our want Of suitable leaders,
or rather because our leaders were not suta-
bly, prepared for a dashing retreat 1t so
happened that neither Col. Whiting nor Lieut..
Col Stannard had received their horses from
Vermont at the time Of this battle and as for
Maj. Joyce, he had none to receive aud all
Of these distinguished officers marched out tC
that fight on foot A few months later, and
if they had not received their horses from
Vermont, it would have been no reason why
they should have gone on foot as they would
have had half the regiment to have provided
them with horses from the thorough bloods Of
Virginia. But at this time we had not fully
learned the customs Of the country, and then
the Colonel and Lieut.. Colonel might have
had little lingering of conscience, that nigh
have prevented them from riding horse tha
had been taken on credit, uaJeknoDn 10 III,
oioaer, although he mi ght be a rebel; so il
order to follow our leaders and march by tn,
right flank, we had to take their gait. But
this might all have been obyiated, and W.
have made as good speed as others, had We
had presence of mind as we should have done
for we could have shifted the regiment, enC
for end, marching by the left flank, aud i
would have been all right, for that woulC
have brought our Major ahead, and he woulC
have led, and he being man quick to earr
and easy to see a pint, was not likely to g
far on foot or cook his own dinner, while Their
was a loose horse or darkey round and al
though the Major started minus both Of thes
useful appendages, before we had gone man.
miles we discovered, to our inexpressible JOY
that he had supplied himself with both, an
= was mounted on as fine charger as yo
would care to see, and had as sleek a contra
| l.ul ., N,.,l - 20 10 tha Major ina
tice should say that report in camp Away
had it that the Major did mt steal ha
horse but that he only stole The darkey an
the darkey stole the horse. However thi
may all be, we evidently marched away fror
! the first Bull Run battle torong end TO.
, At this battle the Second Regiment wa
+ brigaded with the 3D., 4th and 9th Main
t Regiments, and commanded by Gen. o. c
0 Howard, then Colonel of the Sd Maine, bu
! afterwards a Major General and Chief Of tn
e Freedmans' Bureau.
The Second Regiment was engaged in MOI
- Of the skirmishing on the frontier that sun
c mor and fall, and went into winter quarter
R at Camp Griffin No event of much import
l. ance transpired during the winter, unless
e was the battle of Drainsylle, fought by Ger
eral Mccall and to which the Second Reg
C ment, as usual, was invited, and went at doubl
}, quick, distance of nine miles, in a littl
3 short of two hours, beating General Stannard
i old chestnut by about half a length bu
C were not in until General Mccall had sui
a stantially thrashed the rebels, which was tn
5 FIRST dawn of light in that quarter, after th
t disastrous battles of Bull Run and Ball
= Bluff
r During the service of this regiment, the
b were, besides Bull Run, engaged in the 70
: lowing battles, and great many reconno
; sances and skirmishes viz,