The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1877-12-06

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General J b Msgruder. consisting Of
kersbaws. semmes Barksdale's aud
Cohb's brigade. troops that afterwards
formed McLaws famous division Of
l.oogstreet's corps The Vermont brig
age fought the brigade Of General Paul
] Semmes, whose regiments were the
10th Georgia, the 32d Virginia, aud the
9Th aud 10th Louisiana regiments, with
a portion Of General Barksdale's Miss.
issippi brigade in support. General
semmes bad also with him Kemper's
famous battery, whose sre was SO
awfally destructive TO the 9th Vermont
that regiment losing 206 men, killed
and wounded 10 short time, Co. IL, "
from Manchester losing A out Of SO
men, and Co. II losing 30. General
Semmes in his report says that the
lines were in some places scarcely 40
yards distant, that in the darkness he
sent a private Of the 5th Louisiana for.
ward TO ask what regiment was in front
aAd on receiving the answer Sd Yer
mont, be at once opened fire. The
dead in front of his line the next morn.
ing, General Semmes reports at 400
men, while his own loss was but 81.
This enormous difference of loss the
rebel general attributing to the near
ness Of the line that made the buck and
ball of the rebels take full effect, to the
shower Of grape and canister poured
into our ranks by Kemper's battery,
and locomotive gun that fred from
the railroad track.
Turning TO the report Of the battle Of
White Oak Swamp, June 80, 1862, rem
dered by Major General Stonewall
Jackson, we find that the tremendous
artillery fire which walked the exhaust
cd Old Brigade from its slumbers about
noon, proceeded from thirty.one cannon
which General Jackson, unobserved by
our men had placed in position on the
father side of the creek. Gen Jackson
says that his failure 10 force the pass.
age at this point detained him all day
long, aud prevented his junction with
Longstreet, who needed bis help TO
crush Sumner and Heintzleman, and
so the resistance OF Franklin's corps at
White Oak Bridge undoubtedly saved
McClellan's army, and gave our trains,
&c, time to get of. TO have baked
such an energetic soldier as Jackson
was no small credit to VIM. F. Smith
and Franklin.
These rebel brigades Of Semmes,
Cobb and Barksdale that encountered
the Vermont troops so destructively at
Lees Mills and Savage Station, seemed
fated to meet them constantly in after
combat
The next fight Of the Old Brigade
was at Champions Gap, Md, Sept. II,
1862 when, under the lead Of General
w I II Brooks, the brigade helped
push their old adyersaries, Cobb's aud
Semmes' brigades Of McLaws division,
out ofthis very strong position, and
two days alter, on the 18th, Smith 5
Division saved the battle at Antietam,
arriving just 10 the nick Of time TO roll
back the victorious advance OF Semmes
Cobb, Bark dale aud kcrshaw, before
whose impeluous charge General
Sedgwicks division Of Summers corps
bad been driven with fearful loss. II
was the crack division Of the 9th corps
pitted for the fourth time against Nc.
Laws crack division Of Longstrect's
corps.
When in May, 1868, the Vermont
brigade stormed the heights at Preder-
icksburgh. called Maryes Hill. they
drove Barksdale's brigade Of McLaw' 8
division with great loss out Of the
rebel works. aud all the next afternoon
and evening the Vermont troops fought
The rest Of McLaw's division, Cobb's,
Semmes and Kershaw's brigades al
Guests Farm, repulsing the rebels with
grea, slaughter aud covering the re.
treat d the 9th corps at Banks Ford.
At Gettysburg. the Old Brigade was
held Ia reserve, but singularly enough
among the troops hurried up to repulse
The attack Of BArksdale's brigade on
The evening of July "a. 1868. were two
regiments Of tie "a Vermont brigade,
AMI ID this desperate attack and re-
pulse Of McLaw's division, General
BArksbAlc aud bis fellow brigadier
scmmes were both mortally wounded,
BArksdale's body being brought into
our lines
p'e DO not know the after history o.
MeLAws gallant division Of Long
streets corps. We believe il was after
= ards commanded BY General kershaw
and served under Early 10 the Valley,
aud II We are correct in this impression
doubtless The Vermont troops 10 the
9Th corps found themselves agaia face