Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-03-24

olQ pOSlClon IN the line, ana Wnere we
quietly waited for the order to advance.
In ten minutes half the men, with genu-
inc soldier nonchalance, were fast asleep.
Sheridan's plan of battle was some
thing as follows: to throw forward the,
right, Nineteenth Corps and Cavalry,
striking the left of the enemy and turn
it if possible; to occupy the rest of his
line by sharp attack but especially to
overwhelm his left the whole army fol-
lowing the movement in grand loft
wheel. With this view the Sixth Corps,
our left, was drawn up in one line, con-
siderably extended, while the Nineteenth
was massed in two lines, its flank weight
ed by the cavalry.
Time was consumed IN making the
necessary dispositions and in distribut-
ing ammunition, SO that it was nearly
four o'clock when the few guns we had
remaining commenced their usual ante
battle salute. The challenge was prompt
ly answered, and at the appointed time
the whole line advanced against the
enemy. Their stragglers had been col
lected, their line was well closed up and
strongly posted, and their advance would
soon have been resumed, had not our
army taken the initiative. The long
thin line of the Sixth Corps was thus
hurled against very heavy line of the
enemy, covered throughout by series
of stone walls.
Our own Division was now the only
one in sight, the rest of the battle COM
mencing in the woods. So it happened
that as French's Brigade on Grants left,
General Bidwell being absent and dying,
crossed long and open field into the
line of fire that famed from the wall
before them, being ordered to move
slowly as the pivot of the army wheel.
it staggered and at last fell back to its
starting place. Warmers troops on our
right had obliqued over hill where we
could no longer see them; we were there
fore forced to halt behind a fortunate
wall, low. and just long enough to cover
our Brigade, where we opened fire. Di-
rectly in front of our position were a
house, mill, and other out t-buildings,
swarming with the enemy, our only ap-
proach to which was along narrow road
by the side of little mill-pond formed
by a dam across our old annoyance,
Meadow Run.
French's broken Brigade seeing that
we refused to retire, rallied with very
little delay and again advanced to the
charge, this time by General Getty's d.
rection on the double quick, its comman-
der having complained that he could not
take his men over the field at slower
pace, and with an apparently unanimous
determination to succeed. When they
were nearly abreast of our position, being
still across the Run, our Brigade poured
over the wall which had covered it, and
rushed promiscuouslY into the cul de sac
by the mill.pond. The attack was suc-
eessful, and the group of buildings from
which the enemy fed in confusion to a
wall which protected their second line,
was as good protection for US as it had
been for the rebels. The troops of our
Brigade were now scattered about the
the grounds and outbuildings just men,
toned, some of them being behind and
upon two large hay-staeks, and fully
one-third of the command being advanc-
ed quite distance further, to the cover
of broken garden wall and among sew
eral large trees. French was now in
capital spot nearly up with US, and We
were still unable to see the regiments on
our right. Officers sent over the hill to
reconnoitre found rebel line of battle
and section of their artillery nearly on
the promulgatlon of our line, and it was
considered that we should be doing ex-
tremely well if We were able to hold our
then position, being it will be remember
ed the extreme left of the army, with
heavy force of the enemy in our front,
aud even extending across the pike
where we had now no troops except
regiment or so of Col Kitchens unat-
tached provisional train guard, and
some cavalry.
Therefore We kept concealed as much
as was consistent with expending the
full fifty rounds of ammunition consum-
ed in the next half hour, the rebel fire
meanwhile being so hot that we could
not carry off our wounded or send for
more cartridges. At last however the
excellence of Sheridan's plan was prov
ed movement became apparent on the
right; Warmers left was again seen ad-
yancing, and with cheer we made a
final charge against the walls before u.s..
The enemy faced our advance but for a
moment and then fed in confusion; we
pursued faster and faster. only Stopping
to hastily fill our cartridge boxes with
captured ammunition; the retreat became
stampede, the pursuit became a reck-
less chase, and with tumultuous cheers
and throbbing hearts we crowded the
motley mob before US, on and on over
the miles of hill and plain to the banks