St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-06-17
eevERMoNr IN THE CIVIL WAR"

The first volume of Hon. G. G. Ben
edict's history of "Vermont in the civil
war; has been issued and already no
ticed by the press of the state. No
more comprehensive review of the
work has been given than was written
by Hon. w. G. Veazey, who knew
whereof he spoke. Says Judge Veazey
The plan adopted by Hon. G. G.
Benedict. the state historian, for his
military history, seems to me to be
good one. In the first volume he has
in a measure combined history and BIZ
ography. The title, "VermOnt in the
Civil War;" fairly imports the scope of
the work. Instead of writing history
strictly, that is, combining himself to
methodical record of the important
events concerning the state during the
war, he gives in this volume history
of the first six regiments, each separ-
atelv. and then of the first brigade.
His plan has been to give record OF
each military organization furnished
by the state, treating each infantry
regiment as a unit, The second vol
ume will, therefore, embrace all the in
fantry regiments subsequent to the
9th, and the cavalry, and the several
companies of artillery and sharpshOot-
ers. This plan necessarily causes some
repetition, but it is the only way by
which the record could be made meas
urably complete. If anything is lack
ing i'm the execution of the plan it is
evidently due only to the fact that Mr..
Benedict has not been furnished with
more material from the living Vltness-
es. That he has solicited the facts we
all know; that many have not re-
sponded as they might, some Of US also
know: that he has utilized all the ma
terial that he could get and treated it
with even judicial fairness, and put it
in yery attractive form, and made a
maryellously full record, the volume
bears ppmistakable evidence. The
introduction tells in a word how great
was the effort, the sacrifice and the
glory of Vermont. Every school child
should commit that to memory. The
volume then opens with allusiOn to
the difficulty of the people of the North
to believe I'D the pQsslolilty OF c!Vll
war, and to the unpreDared condition
of the northern states, and especially
of Vermont, for war. Chapter Ill. Is
IA most thrilling and eloquent preseh-
tation of Vermont's response to the
call to arms. 1t is worth to the reader
the cost of the volume and to the youth
of the state it will be invaluable as a
perpetual inspiration. Then follows
the history of the regiments Except
the Ilth) that constituted the first
brigade, and the history OF the brigade
as an organization. Every engage
in wi
regiments participated, is described
sufficiently to show the part taken by
them. The name of every man killed
or wounded in each action is stated in
notes; the number who died from sick
ness and not wounds the numb dis
charged for different causes; the num-
Der of recruits from time to time; per
centage of losses as compared with
that of the other states indeed every
detail of fact of this kind is given.
The story is calmly told throughout,
in plain language and clear style. The
author seems unconscious that he was
reciting facts that would thrill man
kind throughout the ages to come. Yet
it must be so, because nothing in his
tory surpasses this record of brave
deeds and patient service. The his
JOIN vi GHb i ObOlHdC ql NY 10 a piOuu
one, but it is sad history sad to me
beyond endurance because until Get
tysburg it was substantially history
of needless failure. Yet it was proud
history, because the army always
fought splendidiy, and because it's ter
rible losses and the plumbers of its
leaders could never dishearten it, and
because at last when a real leader
came it destroyed the rebellion. Its
misfOrtunes and defeats seem, how
ever, rather to increase than diminish
the glory of the Vermont troops, be-
cause their fighting was always etfec-
tive and successful. In all of its bat
ties, defeats as we'll as victories, for
four years, some portion at least of the
first brigade participated. Many times
it fought against tremendous odds. 1t
stOrmed Notifications; it charged bat
teries; it fought every kind of n battle,
offensive and defensive; yet from first
to last it never failed to equal the best
and to win brilliant success whenever
that was possible and to receive the
highest Communications of its COM
manders and associates.
This is what the unvarnished story
of Mr.. Benedict brings out with a clear
ness and power and Inherent evidence
of truth that settles all debate; and
when we receive from the same able
and faithful pen the history of the
other regiments and companies, which
is known to be up to the same level
with that of the first brigade, the pO-
sitiOn of Vermont in the civil war will
be forever established at the pinnacle
of military renOwn and patriotic SER
vice. Nothing concerning the war has
yet appeared that will compare with
this work in interest to VermOnters
everywhere. Such a history is the
best kind of monument to the brave
men whose deeds furnished the mate