Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-28

Conciuucu MS lecture with NOW mine
trent, desc men is tired aud dry is to march
no more dis day." then turning to the rcgi.
mem, he commanded, In tones that might
nave oscn heard ut Washington, "Men, lie
down y aud the sharpshnoters campcd lust
there
This is what the sharpshootcrs did at the
Battle OF Rdppahannock Station in October,
1868:
The third Corps, under Birney, had the
advance oil the column, the sharp shooters
acting as nankers, until the head of the col
umn arrived at the river opposite the desiC-
mated crossing place. The enemy were found
In strong force occupying rifle pits on the CD.
posite bank, and the column was deployed
TO meet the cxigency of the occasion. The
sharp shooters were at the front as skirmish-
ers and advanced Mt the double quick in
splendid order until they reached the bank
OF the river, when they took such cover as
was afforded by the inequalities of the
ground, and commenced an active fire upon
the enemy in the flc pits on the opposite
side 1t WIS soon found, however, that
lhey couiu not be driven from their strong
position by simple rifle work, and the repi
lnent was ordered TO cross the stream and
drive them out by close and vigorous attack.
1t was not cheerful prospect for the men
who were to wade the orcn stream nearly
waist deep aud exposed to the cool fire of the
concealed enemy, who would not aim less
coolly because the sharp shooters would nee
essarilY be unable to return the fire; but the
line was carefully prepared and at the sound
OF the Dugle every man dashed forward into
the coiu anu rapid water aud struggled on.
Co. +. was one of the reserve companies and
thus followed the skirmlshcrs IN column of
fours instead of in dcployed line. As the
skirmishers arrived on the further shore they
naturally took such cover as they could gel
and opened ralid fire. The Vcrmonters
however, closely following the movements
passed the skirmish line thus halted and
pushed on without stopping TO Ieploy eveH.
capt. Merriman, who had just succeeded to
MS wei deserved promotion, led the way
until lie stood upon the very edge of the
WORKS overlooking the rebels within, of
whom he demanded an immediate and un-
conditional surrender lie was far In adj.
vance OF his men, and the rebels at first
taken aback by the very bodness of tho de.
mand, now seeing him unsupported as they
thought, refused with strong language to sur.
render, but ON the contrary called upon him
10 yieid himself up as their prisoner. Merri-
man, however, was not minded to give up
ms captains sword on the very first day hc
had worn it, and called out for Some of
you men of Co. +. with guns to come ND
here" His call was oheycd, and five hun.
dred aud six Confcdcratcs surrendered to this
little company alone.
In his concluding chapter Col Ripley says
Of his task;
Inc history OF Co. + is finished, and is far
from sats'ac' Dry to the writer. Originally
usdertaken Tor the purpose of supplying the
Hon. G. g. Benedict, State Military His.
tollan, with material for such brief record
us he could afford room for in his history of
the Vermont troops in the war OF the rcbcll-
Ion, II has grown far beyond wat was in
tended AT the outset, and far hey ond what
would he proper for him to publish in such a
Work as he is charged with. 1t should have
been undertaken by some other person than
myself by some one more intimately and
longer acquainted with the company in the
held ny some one whose personal reco!-
lection OF the details Of its daily donvs is
more exact than mine can possible be for
The history OF 50 small portion OF a great
army as a company is, should be a personal
history of the men who composed It, The
record OF company is mainly made up of
he every day scores and every day gossip
iooul lis company kitchen and its company
street. with these matters the writer does
not profess to be, or to have been, familiar.
The work has, therefore, become more of
description OF campaigns aud battles, and
more a history of the regiment to which it
ras attached, | fear, than of the company.
such as it is, however, its preparation has
,een labor Of love, and it is published with
he earnest hope that it may serve at least to
ieep warm in the hearts of the survivors the
Of those who marched with them
n 1861, and whose graves mark every
'a.lle field whereon the Army of the Poto- |
nae fought
IL is true that the book is largely history
II the regiment, and enough is given of the
history Of the Fifth and Second corps, to
which it was attached, to show in its |
roper groupirg the action of the regi-
nent. Yet the history of Co. f. is also
iven with reasonably full detail. 1t was |
allan, company, which out of III men con.
ec,ed with 1t from first to last lost 80 killed, |
r over eighteen per cent, while its killed |
nd wounded numbered II or forty-three and |
half per cent. This was more than double
ne average loss in killed among the Vermont
oops and over five times the average of |
llled aud died from wounds in the army.
The volume is neatly printed and bound
cloth. 1t is pity that so many pages
1ould suifcr from careless proof reading.
ONE proper names are Invariably misspelt,
nd occasionally there is an error of the
'pes, or slip of the pen, which materially
1ects the sense-as on page 40 where the
18TH corps is said to have been ION the
ouM bank of the Chickahominy" ut the
atllr of Gaines Mill. 1t was on the North
ank. Again, page "A, allusion is made to
ground held by the Vermont brigade ON the
oHhern, or right, bank of the river" 1t
lould read the southern, or right, bank.
But these are minor defects. As n whole
d. Ripley has done his work well, and
'rncd Tie hearty thanks not only of his
but of the public. We only hope
&c history of the other two Vermont com.
mics, in the SccJnl regiment of United
.atcs sharpsho jters which was command.
by another gallant Vcrmontcr Col. Homer
Stonghton be us fully written.
Our Consul at Canton