The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-11-29
A Whine Veteran ON Baton Rouge.
To the Edior NATIONAL TRIBUNE:


In your issue of August Goth | saw an in
quiry from . Exlex" as to where the vets were
who fought at Baton Rouge. j will say that
there's some OF them yet alive and still grow
ing old, but have fair share of memory left.
]. like Comrade Gray of the 21st Indiana,
whose letter you published in your issue of
November LIST, was in the thickest of that fight
Cur regiment was camped out in the edge of
the town, so we received the onslaught Of the
rebel force, which caused us to retire to the
rear of our camp, and the rebs then burned our
tents. We were just getting our breakfast when
we heard orders TO fall In, and put my beans
in the tent and fell in without breakfast aud
did not get any until we turned out the State
prisoners from the Louisiana penitentiary
they fed us. / remember that company /, of
our regiment, had not opened their bean hole
before we We're at it hot and heavy, and they
went out to the old camp ground the next
afternoon and dug up their beans and took them
down 70 the arsenal for supper. Comrade Gray
says he don't rec0llect what other troops took
part in that affair. There were seven regiments.
three battalions, one company of cavalry Nc
Gees in town, and thirty-nne companies of
infantry, three battalions and a company of
cavalry, did the fighting namely: the 21st
Indiana, 9th Michigan, 30th Massachusetts,, and
nine companies of the 18th Maine Company
III, Of the latter, was up the river, above the
arsenal, on picket The 4th Wisconsin and 9Th
Connecticut were on the reserve. The 7th Yer
mont was ordered to support the 21st Indiana,
but instead ofthat fired into them, killing fifteen
and wonnding twenty eight, and then retired
to the river Their colonel, in trying to rally
thein was killed. Four Of my company found
the colors of the 18th Vermont hid under house
and turned them over TO Colonel Paine, of the
4th Wisconsin, who sent them TO General But
Ter at New Orleans He kept them till they
went to Pensacola the following September,
1862. | would like to hear from some comrades
in regard to that affair through THE TRIBUNE
And to TIE TRIBUNE and Comrade Gray
send greeting.
Yours in F., c. and T., C. II. CHASE.
Sergt., Co. (, 18th Me-, James Comerford Post,
No g.
CHIPPEWA, WIS.
GComrade Chase is mistaken in his statements
as to the 7th Vermont, as the following order
shows:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMEyT OF TIE GULF.
NEW ORLEANS, November 20, 1862,
General Orders, No. 49,
The commanding general. upon the finding OF
the board OF inquiry upon the condnet of the 18th
/ regiment Vermont volunteers at the battle oil
Baton Ronge learns that he was led into mistake
by the official reports of that action as to the loss
by that regiment of its eoIors; it proving TO have
been the camp color left in camp and not the regi-
mental color, that was brought off the field by the
Massachusetts battery. He, therefore, has pleasure
in ordering the regImenta colors to be restored
the regiment not doubling that il viii in its next
action earn for itself position and name which
will be a credit to Itself, its State, and country
/ BY command of MAJOR GENERAL BUTLER
| GEORGE G. STRONG,
a a. q. and Chief of Staff