Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-11-26

..Sedrwick's foot cavalry" ami maintained that
they were kept the gJl!up all thr time. Il WAS a
! ioke among them tnat ,'vlEwi'k never stopped
until his horse gave ont, AMI On one "rcI'lpn. IN
Virginia. when he had d,-mnunicd by the road side
and stood on a hiilc hank leaning on the fence
watching the troops a. they went 10y, men IN the
tanks 'onSiiptlh called uui' '' 'ih' ni' We II Wall
Tor You. Get another huisr; wc are IN no hurry.
For some time the General du npt notice these
cries nor understand Their significance NJ LAST
he turned to me AMI sand, Nv hat do they mean by
Get another horse, well wall Tor Nuu:' eN-
planned 10 him the slnsiirIncr uf The language and
a. lid 50 he laughed h,artily whcrtupnn III the
ranks they cried out. ''Srr tho odd fellow laugh.
and Immediately the whole column took II up with
enthusiastic cheers.
These things mcnisun cin,ly tp show The rela-
tionShIp between the commander aud ms troops
lie could appreciate their humor. knowing that no
thought OF dlsrc9pect ever entered II. ard single
smile from HIM went like sunbeam through long
columns of tired men unit II hroalened INTO a
laugh, and eliminated IN cheers that came from
the true hearts ni as gallant Shici7 a ever seINch
patriot cause.
After The Gttty,I,ureh cImpIign. Warren
ton AMI Hazel river, winter of delights when
the sixth Corps lived and revcll"l Tor SIX
long months. There were horse races ami cock
lights, and balls attended hy iar women from home
There were festivities such A. ON, an army KNOWS
how 10 organize and enjoy. Every ~hcre picnic' 10y
day, and dancing hy night Each corps wed Miih
the other to the extent of lis Inequalities. Each
corps claimed 10 have the fastest horse. the best
lighting cock. To be- visited hy the prrttie1t ladies'
and to be altogether the best corps in the army
this eXtiavagant clam. OF course. was only true
TO one corps, the Sixth although am iree 10 say
as some oi You may remember that IN the matter Oi
horse racing the Second Corps got the best of Us on
one memorable occasion and reduced the specula-
tive officers of the Sixth To absolute penury until
the next arrival Of the paymasirr. last desperate
effort to redeem our fortunes 10y sustaining al large
odds favOrIte chicken imported from IN" good
city of Boston only added 10 our disasters: and
when that unfortunate bard was LAID away with
funeral honors after only one ruuni, the Sixth
Corps decided almost ura1 nnou-ly that all TINS
style of dissipation was highly immoral Ind should
therefore be discouraged.
Through all this winter those VINO hal occasion
TO live near ami around John Sedewi'k saw the
sweetcr and more touching traits Of his character.
Modest - glrl, unlsSuminG, gentle just. pure III
heart and IN word, he endearcd himself to the men
who followed him and WAS loved bv all with love
surprising the love OF woman. No picture that
can draw can give To you who knew HIM moi an
adequate conception Of how l"vIh!e that man
Was
Through al this winter Of delights No man look
eel forward to the future except to plan amlseinen's
for the ensuing winter for. strangely enough, we
had got the idea that tins war was To- he continued
indefinitely and during the rest oi our lives.
We were not prophets nor the sons "t prophets.
What knew We then Of the lurid nrcs thai would
tighten the wilderness within a few short months.
The angel of death hnyered over many hut no
prophetic shadow fell from his wingS. Already was
his mark upon the great rcnire OF our circle. and
vet in all our plans FOR the following Winter. IA all
our discussions aIio what We w"f" 10 d' 10 alntlSe
ourselves and our visitors, Sclgwlck was the cen
tral figure. Amid the RAIN and snow. and the mud
and the frost, among our canvas cities our fires
burned checrily and our hearts were light. Letters
SAND shared our ho'piiallles. me SiNth 'nIps
htdiquarteI', nt.'.u7' II 49, VIZ Hg!GWmS , ;, wa d
cept the occasional report thai our chef was 10 he
taken from us TO command the Army "f the Poto-
@ iii -, - W., n, IN ", -, ,,, -,
ally offered ne mad sun on several occasions hos'
peislslenls ueciinei' ~ va Il "l... t -, ",sH,'
pui nevertheless lhr 'iiH Vl'ie Nhtl non, HitJ"I-
general TO drummer hoy there was not dry eye IN
the Sixth Corps oi the Army OF the Potomac.
=, va @ ou i Li'iS " @ ~ ,l, ~ ~ ,, ~.
.he VA. sluis W ,.'t '''t al So, - a..
va "a ,, .i. sun ~ ~ ~ ~, :, .S - :, - % W ,, I -,
v,h ~ n a:nn Wh,,tier ,,'n Tmnrins and ,,vsrif ii
VIM ven; "httlcl' ven; iuipsi,S , i, i'' -, M
~, ing my ", ., ' =, ny ~ i y, w., ~ ,i' IL,
, air ii,l' ~, ~ II :, - 80 a. ~, -, ~, ,, ST.
M AN ieo,li ~ v, ti"oil ~, '.t' ~ - - -
WICK had slept me pteNious n'snt uisncle,ei py
tehl or panhtl' iir atrlli'i IN tA'e,lct l's ~
Iouel q ilI.'c 't'i " -, tiiI oM ~, ",
lle I Wiz, WIZ " 81 li' ~, , " S %
uas alIsI 'ids WIN uyria''r 'csu, ie" @ NM
uIss pei"tt hc I'ti Si'AcH "l s"i,r 81 l"c H"I"S
oIncelS ni MS >laH III '''''i H4' h'i'it "'i"' VI
aiicctloh.
lie sdId a lcW J'>llhS Nuid- 10 s'ile Ni " HiSh %
who passed. before hilil as thr' moved ht' tht flte
pits. Ills manner. titui" AMI gesture ds tie stood
Indicated tu the enemy that nc WAS an officer OF
rank AMI authority. He wore 40 uniform h"l even
Il sword From across me llilc valley whirh selif-
ated Us from the cnemys Inc irnih one oil thelr
sharp shooters concealed in the woods IN front ofus
came the swift messenger Of d'aih Slowly, with
out a word with sad smile upon his lips John
Se,iswck iell and hls great heart ceased TO heat.
Ills life blood pouring IN strong, steady stream
from the wound spirited over M. made an effort
to sustain him Is tc lei ANA IN doing 50 frll with
Heutterei no word AMI made 10 ,l-h. II seemed
to If could but make him hear AMI call hts al
tcntion 10 the terrible effect ms fill was having on
our men he would by inrr" nt ms great VIII rise UP
III spite of death. | called va;uly III his tir-he
made no answer.
Ills fdvOrItc all, General Charles y Whittier,
bent over him with strclinIn" cyr-. General
TompkIns. the chief oi the artillery. a"d MS sur
geon Dr. ohlenschllger raised HIM parity nom the
ground and the pale and ANXIOUS faces Of hc men IN
inc long llne OF rut Pl'' Wr'r ni' 'aStllF lp"ilu
the group, hut such was the force "i discipline
thai although these mems hearts were hlIrd with
a great SoirOw, although thtt AHr" l.lit irtIlhS
blow hai fallen upon them, none lett the ranks ana
the silence which follows great tragedy fell upon
summer woods ol Sp"ti>yNanli On that morning ni
sifidest memories.
II WAS my duty 10 report Al general hra hlllFicrS
that the sixth Corps was without i commander, for
General Ricketts, VIM Wa next IN rank, under
standing that II hai been the desire 81 ten Nc'l-
wick that his old a-sncIi" General lln'aiin q,
Wright oi the irsl division should succeed him. had
informed me that ne declined To- assume Tue COM
mand. When reached general headquarters ana
''-''''.'iitci M iiun ol me tchi nl me -,
,,!r, -. 90 go y ;'tiny @ tu' =, il,i I N,',f.
NnIliih7' ihcIe were IN ,iil' t'hl 'tt. " ',:'ti'
ana zen mum Ine 'hl' o L,'liit'H Li' uI; li'il'
'ne Juuse aiNn'e Gttl''h v' tlt III nv anu "'h'I
"d veteran uHlcciN VINO "d' Nsl''I through many
Neal, OF warfare. ,...t..., . ~.
-As '"rN "a" ht ",'i'i WIN vi ''''' ''.I' WI
i!t''n s'ii'ru '''" IA" sun '''' "'' ""''''
"SeuE"l'A-
i'uuNi no 'l'"'i- ii' '" ''4' '' '''' ''l'. ,i'
grey ht'Id'i warriors 'tlI>' Ih' t'''- ami l'G
some MINUTES s'""t" Hat 'h'''''" mourning i
idInei, , .- .
lhSy nu,it lower % 'Nt'S'''ll7 .'i''h- ln' pun
Wo"iN anu iii' il '"' 'l'' d i"'-l '''l i.''y iY'
MN ny soIher hilli7 ahl az H'N l'h- lU'i' Meir
strong men M'ePihs ~ tIl' luh''' ''"'I- inSN
came from All parts vf III" AMY. iAr ".d ana Inc
Young ne wen anu 'he W"uh"', "ll' rs 'i!i l.l'
!, - 'Ac lhcli lL'' .rA III lic 'v''N'l 'li'.'til'.
Mas thousiuiT VI hiLa' i",h wa" '''"iN7',' @ .i'll
army were illi'i' W'th he'H "a an us "!H7' N'
one nor tMIe had tnry see" ,iton2 men Sthhrn H
mo sudden dtHil. Nut Once h't i"'' hIi la'S
nenIIi ien , ni n'sn ''A: ia i'+H ',ii.i'il, ,'l'
hardened aud indifferent IL what Wa necessarily