Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-04-12


There were just one hundred and three of
us as we marched out of the little inland
village that morning drums beating, flags
flying, and men shouting and women weep
ing farewell. 1t was May, 1861, and we
were going to the front"
A month later, when the roll was called
on the heights of Georgetown, there were
only an even hundred in company G. Death
had claimed the three even before they had
snuffed wars powder-breath.
And month later still the roll was called
on the morning of Manassas. Foot-sore,
hungry, excited and anxious, the men an
swered aye and "aye," and there were
ninety-seven responses, making just hun
dred with the three company officers.
Would We fight ! saw our captain look
ing down the line. There were printers,
lawyers, mechanics, students, farmers, and
day laborers in company G, and not man
knew what grim war was.
Down across the meadow, up along the
edge of the wood, and there we rested aud
waited until the fight opened-waited half
am hour longer than that, aud then came the
order TO move. 1t was like dress-parade as
we moved 10y the left flank, down across the
old pasture, and into the edge of the blue
cloud of powder smoke floating on the morn
ing air. Only the mems faces were white,
and their eyes anxious as they caught the
roar of small arms, and felt the ground trem-
BILE under the discharge of the heavy cannon
which were throwing shot and shell into the
hillside above MS.
Down went a company to the edge of the
forest, spread out like fan, and the skir-
mishers were hidden by smoke. The rattle
of musketry increased; they had found tar
gets for their bullets Standing in line, we
looked down into the smoke cloud, trembled
little, and then came the order TO 60 for
ward. March march and the smoke hid
us, and we struck the confederate line of
battle thrown out in front of an earthwork
Crash crack roar The line wavered,
fell back, sprang forward again with cheer,
and we were all there-all but those dead or
wounded. II was like wild dream. For
ward -retreat--forward-- at the earth
work, now hurled back by the sheet of flame,
and finally driven back to stay. A thou
sand men had been fighting three thousand,
and there could be but one result.
The roll was called at Arlington Heights,
and seyenty-iour men responded seventy
four from ninety-seven twenty-three of the
rank and file of Company G left dead along
the little creek which meanders past banks
Of VxillovNg bplq nj gravel and npOuQd
C,ror III ,raos ,yhiob bays Selt HE bIasts of
SaI} oant,r, W. bad no ,yonndede ali
daad dan ali iyino nndar th" m smoLe'stained
80 81 a.: !dde dserL fores, n ,Yos sad and
vot ,,lo,;ous There would mo thirteen wido,ys
IN ,5e NM haniet and ten sons and hrothers
,sonid s' he vent for bmt I we had been triad in
,ha a ha,anoe and ~ con,nsnv n had nade ,he
,,is alhoia Ia,snSr, rs'';,,,ant a r,rnnns ''
w" W;n,os cam. ana ,yar WAS cl,ai,ed for
a,,h;i" ia'' Nh, H." son,h NM hia,y tha
sros, ,,a, anJ " ,'ar Id oc, H. Ia.h;n@s
,io, 49,, I't o',,, mo-, ~ a,,s,,or I'll
caH ali WIN m~a,ed d,nms and ar,ns re.
u", .,arso, ,.a had soIlo,yed ,he o,hars 60 thair
,a. - J I ,,o', 1',ad ,'', .,Iatbos n 'as
nis. Sie'i, "nu MY IN o"'Iu p;, ~ %"u, ~ 80
ma y, s"e M IT, ,S",1ans Ia"lp~n,,,a
was ho' LOT vs. ou. t''I .n"'u', y, M,oa "aoh" . .
eanno,'' a. n' MI, uo"n V'' " ~, ,'' H.
secv"u sSa ,'ine, oS,''u us ou'' M We I'LL ,h
nan we tne s,a''T' M''s no 'onse, M oa',,v' ny;
ou. siaush'er' III ,ne s'ay n'o1l'1s .1l n'S
coiuiins cs'le ieeli,s s".o"su tnv h'. 49,
over 'he neius 70 n''u US "e n1aiu nun
coming iheIe was Meah y, ~ Vl;Poao @
zen 'hIusanI eo"iei'I"'o '' Lu, - vi