The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-01

Grant clearly explains the situation, this
apparently rash attack of Getty's division
not only held the enemy in check but actu-
ally put him upon the defensive, until the
Second Corps came up Had it resulted
otherwise the enemy would have secured
the crossroads, have completely cut off
the Second Corps from the rest of the army
have outllankcd Warren who was holding
the turnpike against an assault in his front
and have inevitably defeated the Army of
the Potomac
Gen. Lees dispatch to the Confederate
Secretary of War, dated May 5, 1864, re-
cites the events of the day rs follows
Ewclls ana Hills corps "arrved this
morning in close proximity to the enemy's
line of March. ~ strong attack was made
upon Ewell, who rcpulsed it, capturing
many prisoners and four pieces of artil-
lery." That is his description Of the battle
OF the Fifth Corps on the turnpike. Now
comes what he has TO say about the fight
on the plank road "1he enemy subse-
qucntly concentrated upon Gen. Hill. who,
with his and Wilcox's divisions. success
| fully resisted the repeated and desperate
assaults The enemy subsequently CON
ccniratcd upon Gen. Hill, he says, making
"rcpeatcd and desperate assaults" We'll,
rs we have seen, the fact which made so
l
simply that Getty's division reached the
field alone. attacked CALAMITY and held
| Hills corps in check for hours. That |
/ am not mistaken about this is proved by
| the list of casualties, for the total losses of
| the Second Corps upon that day were not
| equal to the losses of the Vermont Brigade.
/ No greater compliment could be paid to
/ the enterprise and valor of those veteran
! troops, no better confirmation could be
| given Of my assertion that their efforts
were decisive of the days conflict, than
| this Immediately written bulletin of Gen.
! Lee.
\ night in the midst of battle has its
peculiar labors and anXicties, and brings
the combatauts little rest. Here were two
| hundred thousand men and more all equip
ed complete. each half for the destruction
of the other, and each determined to wrcst
from the other II victory upon the morrow;
but slight distance lay between them (;
the presence of the rifles and the cannon
was rs papablc as though their throats
were open and their voices heard in the
extreme front picket guards in great num-
bcrs looked in each Others faces under the
stars, amid almost momcntary discharges
of muskctry, and the most cXhausting
watchfulncss behind them were the buri-
al parties, seeking in the black and tangled
thickcts for the wounded and the dead in
the lines of battle but a few of the most
hardened veterans perchancc could snatch
broken slumber amid the hurly-burly of
the bivouac at ten thousand camp-iircs
food was preparing for the needs of the
day that was past, and the uses of the day
that was to come, and on every side the
III Jusand arrangements for the carly NOR
row were pcrfcCting, amid ccasclcss dis
Cu-sOn of the events OF yesterday. and UNI
der constant fear of possible night at
tack. Orders were flying hither and yon
der troops were marching and counter
marching to their destined positions al
was activity and anxious preparations Il,
the hours wore on.
Both armies planned to move ut day
break. if thus. perhaps. some advantage
might accrue, and both concentrated il
their greatest force about the Orang,
Plankroad. Our movement was orderc'
in the form of general advance ut five
The rebel commander directed a genera
attack fifteen minutes earlier. At the first
two lines of battle from the Second Corp
were across the Plankroad in front of TIL
Vermont Brigade. In Il general oblquin
Othe left which soon took place, two othe
lines of battle from the Ninth Corps cam
? in front Of these. so that in the main al
vance four lines of battle preceded on
/ brigade.
The advance made with the momentum
. Of so compact force was ut first hight
= successful it continued with greater o
l less rapidiiy for a mile and half, AM
$ reached almost to Gen. Lees headquarters
taking many prisoners and five stands o
. colois from the corps of \. u. Hill. Pres
emily, however, the progress stopped; TN
: cucmy's reserves came up and made a dc
= termincd stand. At II o'clock Il counter
charge was made by fresh troops unde
g Longstrcet, overpowering our disordcrc
= front lines. and in less than half an hou
, the Vermont Brigade was once more i
Il the fore front of the army and holdin
the key to the operations of the day. 1t
5 commanding general states that at thi
It time the brigade happened to occupy
., slightly elevated or rolling position, whcr
@ the enemy had thrown together for his ow
= use two irregular lines of old logs and d,
a caycd timber, behind which the regimen,
h took position and received the assault c
c Longstreets corps.
c For such an emergency the peculia
c qualities of the Vermont Brigade were hes
\ adapted. Disaster staring them in til
!, face, their comrades fled in disorder
1t alone in the front of the enemy one bril
e ade assaulted by an army corps-but the
: cdr'lI''Se BOXES were ,uil' anu every ma
u aplicciltcu ne S"pI'lnc NECESSITY t .h
II .iilust upon MN. ~ was essen.ial 'l'
: lhGy shou', s,ay' ana TO man tiey II
C solVeu 10 90 IT, STEADY anu unapashet
n get'ihg What cover ihey might from u
u logs ana ruDDlsh when gave tneii ma
&c imaginary shclter, 'hey submitted TO u
1t storm OF feDel man. inc sneii ana cahlst'
y OF the near ar,lilery' patiently waiting IL
II me infantry advance. Ana wheh II CANT
r IL was only To ne Deateh pack again an
again by inc s'eaulest ana DrWest me
/ tnal ever trou Il patlle-lciu' oh cach sio
e ", .''o'', '"o o,' ~, 'm fooh ~
IS auuoeS'iu T"n inaI ,ho;n n" Ga, ~
II eno"y as am'A 7ainvu 'i, nr , ha"hi, AZ,
nj N'HUu ''lo'i Ai""iI' 1",'o ,l no,i ,T
II VI o'.ti l.''!",H v, NV oa' ';e-ii . 'no,
IS - Nv .i,llc ~ WI ',''9 i'ue uuI, "n