Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-03-25

4 GrN From EEMoNT.-U nder this cap
ton the Boston Journal prints the following
letter from Col. ). NJ. Pingree of Hartford,
VT, called out by a statement copied into the
Journal from the Army and Nary Journal,
asserting that Maine is the only State which
never lost flag by capture during the
Rebellion
The Ar0ly and Macy Journal processes to
be an exponent of matters military and naval,
and ought to be careful not to asperse the
history or besmirch the glory CO any State
which furnished troops to save the Union.
1t ought to be enough for that organ to
award to the cold Pine Tree State" her due
need of honor (and her record is noble
one), without marring or attempting to draw
a comparison, at once invidious as well as
untrue, and for this reason | now contra
dict it and can prove it false.
Vermont sent into service in the Union
armies 81, 233 men from population only a
little rising 800, 900. They consisted of II
regiments of infantry, 'one regiment of caval-
ry, 3 batteries and ? companies of sharp
understanding of men furnished, one in
nine cf her population. The larger part OF
these troops served in the Army of the Pc
tomac, and seven regiments in the ''Old Sixth
Corps'-side by side with Names Sixth and
Seventh Regiments, and in the same division.
The cavalry and one battery also served in
that army. Two reg iments of infantry and
two batteries were in the Department of the
Gulf, and three regiments of nine months
infantry were actively engaged in the hottest
of the fight at Gettysburg.
No rebel hand ever touched the colors
of any one of these 81 organizations. The
Second Vermont Regiment lost heavily at
Bull Run in July, 1861, and fired the last
volley at Lees troops in May, 1865. The
Fourth Vermont Regiment captured the flag
of the Sixteenth Virginia Regiment at South
Mountain, Sept. IA, 1862. Three Vermont
regiments were in the column of IL regi-
ments under the gallant Emory Upton in the
capture at THE angle" of Gen. Edward
Johnson and over 5000 prisoners, and one
was in the front line, the first to enter the
works and the last to leave. In that engage
ment nine flags were taken, none lost. The
First Vermont Cavalry, in the Shenandoah
Valley in one campaign (under Sheridan),
captured three flags and "a cannons, and vet
they kept their ow n banner,
Vermont sent larger per cent OF her In
habtants, lost larger per cent of her troops
in battle, and LOST smaller per cent by de-
sertion than Maine.
We are obliged to Col. Pingree for his cor
rection of the statement of the Army and
Macy Journal, which we had not seen, till
we found it quoted by Col. Pingrec. Among
the treasures in the Rebel war department,
taken when Richmond fell, was a collection
of trophies of Southern valor, including the
Union flags which had fallen into the
enemy's hands. These were sent to Washing
ton, and are now preserved in the flag-room
of the War Department. The list of them
includes the flags Of every Northern State
but three viz: Maryland (Which was,hardly
a Northern State, though compelled to take
the Union side in the war; Delaware,
which had hut dozen regiments in the
Union army and distant California, which
also sent comparatively few men into the
United States service, and those saw COM
paratively little fighting. The single Yer
mont flag among the number is that of the
9th Fermont-and that was not captured in
action. The ninth regiment formed part of
the garrison of IIarper's Ferry which was
surrendered by the treachery of Ger.
Miles, in spite of the earnest
protest of Colonel Stannard COM
handing the 9th. Gen. Stannard informs us
that the colors of the regiment were cut from
the staff, and secreted by the color sergeant
or some members of the color guard, when
the fact of the surrender became known to
our men. The State flag of the 9th, however,
appears to have been discovered by the enc
my and 10 have fallen into their hands.
How the flag or flags of Maine regiments
found in Richmond, came to be there, we do
not know. But the rebels never had chance
TO glory over Il flag of Il Vermont Regiment
captured in action.
To the captured rebel flags mentioned by
Col. Pingree, may be added those of the 18th
North Carolina, taken by the 1st Vermont
cavalry; flag taken by the 4th Vermont at
Champions Pass, battle flag taken by the
9th Vermont. and one by the 18th Vermont.
These are now among the trophies in the
Ordnance office, ut Washington.
The proportion OF deaths in action and from
wounds, 10 the thousand US given in the Re
port of the Provost Marshal General of the
army, was for Maine, A 81 =; for Vermont,
SO. 81, almost third more for Vermont. Yet
the Maine men were. brave fighters and did
good deal Of fighting and their loss in ac-
ton was above the average of the Union
army.