Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1870-06-03

count of the " Battle Of Richards F,rm' given
by its reporter. Mr.. Harlow
rHEHR.TIsu TROOPS
numbered about 90, being comt,.ld about half
Of volunteers and the other half Of srmei clti-
zens living in the immediate vicinity They
were protected not only by 3 dense forest. but
By hundreds of ponderous aul impr-suah'c
rocks. and had the additional aIyautpc- Of eleys-
tel position which claim, many OF the Feuiaus.
with good reason, might have been offset by a
similar coigu Of advantage on their part. Either
through stupidity or ignorance Gen. O'Neill
neglected to improve the natural advantages Of
the position which he assumed, and formed his
men in column Of fours 10 the highway.
NEITHER DISCIPLINE NOR GESERALsHtP.
The treetom from restraints of military dis
cpine which has characterized the movements
of the teniau troops was most glsringly exhibi-
tel in TINS instance Although the attacking
party were well Informed Of the number Of their
antagonists and the strength Of their position,
they vet neglected to AXE even the common ex-
p-iicEts Of military life The advance guard
consisted Of but three men, who mtrchel but
six feet in advance OF the main body, ani the
entire force were hudded together like many
sheep Every available man was pressed into
fall back for support When all WAS ready for
the slaughter Gen O'Neill, true to his reputs-
tion, committed what was perhaps the greatest
b.under Of the Fensn campaign. Instead Of
deuoying his men as skirmishers along the line,
which afforded every facility for employment Of
suca q force, and even iutrenchng them behind
the rock fences. bark piles ard buildings which
aboun1ed, he gave the order to charge in sohd
column on the heights above. The occasion re-
minded one f0roibly Of the fatal movements upon
Fred ricksburg during the war Of the rebellion .
except that IN the present instance The stronger
f1Ice ccuped the more formidable position
The men slowly but steadily moved forward,
their commander deftly taking himself ou, Of
thn way and placing the whole Of big house
tef0re his body 20 void the danger which might
arse from bullets which were expected fiom the
brow Of the opposite hill. The Canadians, how
ever, had calculated their chances with care.
Every point Of the situation had been carefully
weighed, ahd they were determined that what
ever others might do there should be no charges
OF violation Of the neutrality laws preferred
against them. Accordingly they waited patient
ly TIL the last man passed over the line. and
then the firing commenced One volley from
the muskets Of the Canadian troops, which by
the way. made John Rowe the frst victim Of the
campaign, spread CONSERVATION among the Fe-
man troops, and they scattered like chickens in
search Of a shelter from the rain. Some of them
found harborage behind the stone fences with
which the locality sbourds. Others laid them
selves down behind the piles Of bark, while an
unfortunate few, headed by Brigsdier General j.
J Donnely, Of Utica, sought protection within
the walls Of an old barn at the right of the road
scattering fire was then instituted, with no
effect on either side