The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-10-10
An Episode OF Gettysburg.
now GENERAL sEDGwiCK's SIXTH CORPS
MARCHED TO THE BATTLE

now GENERAL sEDGwlcK's SIXTH CORPS
MARCHED TO THE BATTLE.
The proposed excursion of Massachu-
sets soldiers and their friends to Gettys-
burg, Penn, on the % cf October, to
locate the memorial tablets to mark the
positions of the various Massachusetts
commands engaged there on each day of
the bsttle, naturally awakens fresh inter
eat in the part taken by the soldiers of
Vermont in that great cor hict. The Sixth
corps, it will be remembered, was the last
to reach the battlefield, being more than
thirty miles away at the opening of the
contest, and was but partially engaged at
the close of the second day and through
the last or third davis fighting. But on
their march from Manchester, taken in
connection with their previous severe SER
vice, the men of that command exhibited
that wonde full power of endurance which
later gave the corps the name of Sedg.
wick's foot cavalry"
This march has been declared by COM
petent military authority the most wonder
fnl in modern history, and a graphic
picture of it from the pen Of one who
participated will be given in Mr.. Bowen's
forthcoming history of the Thirty.seventh
regiment which it is expected will he pub
lished during the early part of 1884. The
story properly begins with the movement
of the two opposing armies northward
from the banks of the Raprahannock in
the early part of June, 1868. General
Lee having decided upon his unfortunate
invasion of the free states left A. p. Hills
corps in the old defeDses at Fredericks-
burg to maintain show of strength,
while the bulk of the confederate army
sought to elude Hooker and gain some
decided advantage of position before the
intention of the movement should be dis.
covered. Lees design, however, was pene-
trated by General Hooker at the outset
and the main body of the army of the
Potomac moved between the southern
forces and Washington, obligine Lee to
remain on the west side of the Blue Ridge,
while the Sixth corps was left to watch
Hill and protect the rear.
For ten days General Sedgwick operated
necessarily against the nights across the
river, and though there was only CON
tnual skirmishing between the two corps,
with no serious fighting, the weary fed
erals during all that time had little rest or
sleep. BY day they were on the skirmish
line or marching and countermarching in
and out of sight of their enemies, to give
the impression of a large force intending
determined attack, while by night they
were intrenching or engaged in other
duties. Finally, on the night of June 10
under cover of a rainstorm, the corps
withdrew to the falmouth shore of the
river and the exhausted men, wrapped
only in their blankets, threw themselves
on the soaked ground, regardless # the
pouring rain, and slept heavily till the
bugles sounded the signal for the march
toward Washington.
And such march Considerable rain
had fallen, and over the muddy Virginia
roads the great army had been moving
with its multitude of horses, wagons, ar
tillery and ambulances. Let the reader
picture one vast expanse of mud, in the
midst of which runs a poorly defined
highway, for in the search for better foot.
ing thousands of men aud horses and
wheels have made common way of the
bordering lands. Far as the eye can
reach a great blue throng surges hither
and thither, but who can say whether it
recedes or advances No cavalry are
there, for they are away on the outskirts,
engaged in many daring deed, but in.
fantry, artillery, pontoon aud wagon trains
are mingled in one mass of confusion.
The soft mud almost engulfs the heavily
loaded wagons, and the ponderous wheels
OF the gun carriages sink deep in the
mire. The drivers whip anC scream and
GEOGRAPHICALLY the latter-and not
unfrequently the pressing infantry come
In for share of the meledictions. MOI
are the latter backward in consigning tc
place where no artillery could possibly
be used the unwieldy vehicles which
block their way.
If the country is level and unobstructed
the infantry take to the fields and make
reasonable progress, but here is d, fil'
where all must pass through the narrow
cut, and the mud is especially deep. A
great parrot gun blocks the way, stuch
fast in the slime. The horses and dTiv
ers and Juggling artilerists who are strv
Ing to rescue their beloved piece occupy
all the available room, aud only now anC
then common soldier can dodge past
Meanwhile the pouring infantry fill al
the approaches, and when at length the
cannon rolls on there is rush from the
impatient mass. Fortunate indeed il
some luckless comrade does not lose hi
footing and roll over and over in the half
liquid sea. A few pass and then another
gun or cassion or wagon lurches into thu
same slough and the struggle is repeated
as the long day wears Itself away. Blu
at such a time day and night are al
alike, in 30 far that they must be subordi
mated to the orders of the general com
handing. The corps must be at desig
mated point at specified time, whethe
five hours or twenty be required to max,
the distance. At five in the afternoon OF
that l4th of June the corps reached Stat
ford court house, and halted for fiv,
hours, when the tramp was resumed. Al
through the night the column crept on a
q snail's pace, the men keeping ever