Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-10-16


BILE wall OF musketry was from our foes,
that our left was being turned, and that Il
great disaster stared us III the lace
A moment later our brigade received
orders to take position in the edge of the
timber across the pike and check the enc
my'S advance, and the movement was
made on the run.
In II moment it was apparent that our
left, Crook S corps was hopelessly broken.
Officers were fleeing for their lives, half
dressed and with their swords in their
hands. Hundreds of men rushed past
just as they had sprung from their blank
cts. The surprise was complete. The best
soldiers in the world (and no more gallant
troops than the Sth corps were ever mus
tered could have done nothing but fly.
For Our littlc brigddc the moment lCdS
supreme. Every man felt that the desti-
ny of that great army, and perhaps OF the
whole country, hung fearfully trembling
in the balance.
We well knew that for ourselves we
could not "pluck the flower safety from
this nettle, danger" Theirs not to ques-
ton why" The only question was could
we check the furious tide, could we hold
that line for half an hour and thus give
the 10Th and 9TH corps time to form IA new
line-and the reply which our hearts gave
was, we will do 1t or perish iii the attempt,
and for answer whether we redeemed our
pledge let the words chiSeled in this stone
reply-"Out of 14S men and 16 officers
of the Sth Vermont who entered this
fight, 40 men and - officers were killed
and wounded before sunrise
Like rock stood that little line. The
rushing wave of the enemy seeking to
engulf US, was shattered against that
living rampant, as the waves OF ola
ocean are broken when they hurl them
selves against the eternal ellis. But as
old ocean gathers herself after each re-
pulse and bursts again upon the rocky
barrier, so uid our gallant foes, again and
again hurl themselves against us.
No pen can describe the scene-no pen
ell paint its fury. The deep gloom of the
early morning was lighted up by the in
cessant flashes of musketry from either
side The air was filed with missiles,
and heavily laden with the roar of battle,
the shock of artillery and the shouts of
the combatants. Three separate times
were the colors of the Sth Vermont in the
hands of our enemies. Three color bear
ers poured out their life blood and died
clinging to the flag, but three times was
that flag re-taken and finally carried by us
from the field. But it was only ques-
ton of time, and the time soon came
when there was only one course to take
then
"They that had fought so well
Came thrO' the jaws of death
Back from the mouth of He'll
But our pledge had been kept, sealed
with blood and at the price of a great
slaughter, but still kept. For half al
hour under the dauntleSS Thomas, had
we held in check the whole centre of the
enemy's advance, and when our little rem
naut was finally swept from the field, the
10Th and 9th corps III their new position,
gained while we fought, were in compare
tive readiness for the assault.
e 90
twenty one years ago when we who are
now gathered here in friendly amity, were
then deadly foes. let me revert to the sen
| timent expressed in my opening words
May not this stone be Mizpah to us of the
North and South. once foes, nOlU friends
Placed here not for glorliication, but tc
mark the spot where our comrades fell
to mark the place of an important public
event. and a turning point in nations
history, let it also have deeper meaning
to us of the North and you our brothers
in the South Let it be a pillar of stone
which shall forever mark an era of genu
inc fraternal feeling between us. Let il
be an everlasting covenant that we vii.
not pass over this stone to thee, and thou
shalt not pass over this pillar to US, fol
| harm.
And to the generous donor of this monu
ment in behalf of my brothers of the
North, | accept it, pledgng ourselves thai
that feeling of sympathy and kindness be
tween the two sections, which he so muci
desires and with him earnestly hopinG
that the time is near ut hand, when there
shall be no North, no South, but one coun
try united forever.
Gen. Stephen Thomas of Montpelier the
addressed the audience, giving briefly tn
different positions held by the regimen
and sketching wildly its part in this mos
desperate struggle. His remarks wer
listened to with the deepest attention an
at times his voice was nearly overcom
by emotion from the memories of tina
day.
Capt Moses Mcfarland then spoke a
follows, making a most effective poiu
when the names of those who were kille,
on that ield were called:
Address of Capt. Moses Mcfarland.
Comrades-In the years not long sine
gone noble men left our own love
Green Mountains, left fathers and mott
ers, wives and children left all that lif
holds dear to offer up themselves us sac
rifices, if need be, to preserve the int!
, rlty of this nation. Many there were VIII
never returned, Many there were VIII
, looked for the last time upon their dea
! ones at home. Many there were who's
: bones moulder in the soil of the Shenar
! doah. 1t is but fitting that we as con
, rades of those brave men should max
pilgrmageS to this spot made sacred /
, the blood of our brothers in arms an
erect here monument in memory of I'll
! sublime courage that characterized I'll
:, sacrifice of that terrible 10Th of Octobe
y 1864. They died that liberty should II,
/ perish, that generations yet unbol
= should be blessed with the boon of FRI
q self-government. Nor was it an uuwi
y ing sacrifice. 1t was made as freely as Il
hives offered up were dear. Can we
less than strew this ground with fiowe
e and engage in these simple ceremonies.
e Not alone does this soil cover the de
forms of our fellow comrades. Here
buried fond hopes, noble ambitions, al
bright anticpations of happy and pre-
porous lives cut off in the early mornil
b of that awful day. Nor do we only we
% for the fallen, but far away among t
rs green hills OF Vermont, father and mot
a err sister, brother, wife, grieve for hi
1t who here gave up his life in defence
c his country's flag The last roll call
l. Cedar Creek was on the 18th of Septe
! Der, 1864. Were the roll of the Sth V,
e mont to be called to-day, fourteen won
a be accounted for as among the dead up
-