Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-12-19

We copy TIE following mention of the dis
covery of manuscript interesting to every
Vermonter from tie lIammonton On. o.
Republican:
We have been shown the official report OF
Brigadicr General L. A. Grant, command
ing the Second Brigade of the Second Divi-
sion, Sixth Army Corps, known as the
vermont Brigade" for that campaign
after that brigade crossed the lfapidan, May
4th, 1864, with the Army of the Potomac,
through the battles of the Wilderness,
Spottsylvania, Cold l!arbor and other opera
tions of this body, until July 9th, when they
embarked at CITY Point for Washington.
This report was found by one of the men
connected with the quariermasters depart
ment of the Second Division, Sixth Corps,
on the event OF getting ready to start for
Washington, and it is probably the original
official report of this brigade for those terri
BILE battles, given as it is under the hand of
the brigade general, l.. a. Grant, and being
full and complete description of the move
ments and achievements OF this gallant brig
adc during those trying days in the height Of
the war of the rebellion In thcconfusion of
packing the articles in the tent of the assist
ant adjutant general, Charles Mundce, this
report was unintentionally lost among some
rubbish, and found by this gentleman from
the quartermaster's department and pre-
served by him as cherished memorial OF
those days that tried mems souls, although
it was probably very much missed and
would now, without doubt, prove very ac-
ceptablc to the State of Vermont as a valua-
bic record of the doings of some Other brave
est sons through that time Of slaughter and
bloodshed; and it also might have proved OF
great value in the compilation Of the history
of ''Ve rmont in the Rebellion" The report
is long one, comprising nearly thirty pages
of foolscap, and is complete and carefully
prepared statement to the adjutant gcneraIt
every movement during that bloody month
and half, of the gallant brigade composed
of the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and
Sixth Vermont Volunteers as well as the
Eleventh Vermont at and after the battle of
Spottsylvania Court House The various
losses in killed, wounded and missing are
given, as well as the names of those officers
and privates who, by their intrepid gallan-
try, earned for themselves honorable men
ton from the commanding general. These
men in particular were the losers if there
was no duplicate copy Of the report taken
prior to the loss of this one. The report is
made out in four different epochs for four
different engagements or series of engage
ments. and from the official appearance of
the document and the signatures, we Judge
it to be the original report made out by
General L. A. Grant The conclusion of
this report which was made out 10 Major
Charles Mundee, assistant adjutant general,
is as follows: In the several engagements
and skirmishcs from the time the command
crossed the Rapdan, May 4th, TO the time it
embarked for Washington, July 0th the
brigade lost three hundred and fifty killed,
one thousand five hundred and seventy nine
wounded and four hundred and sixty-seven
missing, in all two thousand three hundred
and ninety six. herewith forward nomin-
al list of casualties. am, Major, very re-
spectfuly, your obedient servant,
l.. A. Grant,