The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-01
THE RUTLAND DAILY GLOBE MONDAY MORNING, JUNE l. 1874

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assist the main line of battle at different
points upon urgent occasions; upon one Of
these some Pennsylvania regiments, veterans
also, and for long time wont TO face
the enemy at the side Of the Vermont Brig
ade were especially sore pressed, until
their morale became broken and they gave
way in disorder; n hard fighting corporal
among them, long after this, in describing
their desperate condition TO an attentive
crowd around a Petersburg pickets fire,
was heard TO thus express the extremity Of
the emergency "then," said he. "thcn's
when we wanted the Ncrmontcis."
And when the Brigade returned to its as
socates in the Sixth Army Corps, as they
marched past the other troops to their des-
ignatcd position, they were greeted with
cheer upon cheer from each brigade in
turn, an honor which that corps never be-
slowed upon n general after McClellan's
day, until Phil. Sheridan earned it on the
battlefield at Winchester; the whole OF
SedgWicks command well knew the Yer
mont Brigade, and were proud Of it, and
had felt its absence. Out Of the $500
which had crossed the Rapidan. 1863, al
most exactly one half, were already zone :;
the words "wounded in the Wilderness
"kilcd in the Wilderness are the most
the war are described among our vcrdant
hills.
But must hasten on. We left our COM
radcs in the maZcs of the Wilderness on
the evening of May 18th. the last day of the
battle All that night and all the next day
they marched to the South, until sunset on
May 9Th found them once more under the
fire of the enemy, and the series of battles
around Spottsylyanla Court House had be-
gun.
Daring the night, in the dense forest,
partics trsm both commands wandered
abont in strange confusion. amid the fire.
qucnt and dangerous yollcys of muskc'ry,
and with no certain object save each to To-
cate the position Of the other, and each to
keep ont of the others way. The hours
were full of anxiety and brought little
rest. With the break Of day came an nd.
justmcnt OF the lines, and the throwing M
of the usual field intrcnchmcnta under i
desutory fire. by which Gen. Scl4wick
the loved, respected, and chccrfully obcyci
commander of the Sixth Army Corps
known to his men as "UuClc John and by
no other name, was instantly killed.
Let us hope that his quiet grave a
! Cornwall Hollow, rs well as the more i'm
posing monument and statue erected &C. hi
iicli'll Nv " ''e 'il't - 1ilN SUI w US -
his communal. will each receive due homo
and attention to-day, at the hands Of thos
whose good fortune gives them the year,,
opportunity to exhibit their respect 70
that thorough soldier, and modest, simple
hearted gentleman,
On May 10Th the contest was continued
the 4th Vermont distinguishing itself by
skirmshers charge; three other regiment
were detailed to support "a stoming part
under the young and daShi1g Gen. Upton
who was afterwards killed at Winchester
The charge was made in the afternoon. an
was ut first successful, carrying the work
assaulted, and taking Il thousand prisoner,
soon countercharge was made, brcakin
Upton's disordcred front, and. rs usilal, tn
Nermonters found themselves in the fror
line, with little or no support, and til
Philstines on every side. Orders were SCI
to Col. Seaver TO withdraw his men; pal
of them retired; others could not l
reached; many from all the regiments
especially from the 2nd, absolutely refuse
to go back, insisting that il was safer
stay, that they were not whipped, an
could not be; and there they hung, obst
nately holding their ground against n
corners, until late at night, when the
were withdrawn under positive orders. o
May lith, skirmishng was active bctWcu
the lines; heavy entertainments now face
each other, and the artillery practiC
became severe.
The next day, May 18TH, was one Of ii
most noted of this remarkable campaign.
1t was opened by the charge of Gen
Hancock, at daylight, upon the rebel pa
sition held by Gen. Edward johnson
whose division was captured cntir
together with two brgades under Gen
George II. stuart, many Hays and much Il
tlllery. When Hancock met these genera
he extended ms hand to greet Stuar
: whom he had known ut West Point, say
ing, How are you. stuart. The reb
: drew himself up with great air, an
haughtlly sad, IL am General Stuart {
, the Confederate army and under Il
) present circumstances, | decline to tax
your hand. And Hancock. abandonin
aliability for dignity, very properly /
, Piled, " nder any other CIRCUMSTANCE
general, | should not have offered 1t. III
enemy, III lrst completely taken ny 81
prise, soon hurried up reiniorcements' al
the engagement became general all aloi
the line. The movements of the troops {
both sides were rapid and energetic, m
the point where llancocks entrance h.
, been made was presently occupied by Il
sixth corps. Near the center was Der
. projection in the rebel works, known
soldiers and to history as the angle
the left OF this our troops held the enemy
! lines, to the right the rebels had not bee
/ dislodSed, and were determined to renal
The angle was the key to the Who'll
The entire position would ultimately fl
, to whichever party succeeded in retalnif
f possession OF " the angle And after V
rinuG chances ni npSItiOn IIIp ads