The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-10
JOURNAL.

thereby lodging the direct and powerful
blow shot out by the right arm of Early's
concentrated army; and by this time the
ferceness of the first morning charge had
died out, the cyclone of the battle had spent
itself 1t was no longer the magnificent
sweep of divisions-with banners high and
wild yells that rent the very air-no, the
enemy was moving more cautiously and
slowly, and Early now found that the
Sixth Corps had had time to take posi-
ton to arrest his. progress and a. cav
airy corps lowered on the right flank.
Briefly some of the important points
secured were; First, the golden hour gain
ed to the Sixth corps, which was heightened
by the assistance of Nineteenth corps reg
iments as we neared Meadow run, which
enabled the Sixth corps to dodge the first
blow and move to high ground. Second,
the long bulldog fight of our brigade and
others, from point of attack to Meadow run,
drew the bulk of the enemy from their base
and the key of the battle-the pike; Third,
this long charge and fight of the enemy
disiointed his lines and exhausted his men,
compelling a partial change of front, with
tagged men, to meet the two comparatively
fresh corps now threatening their right
flank, the Sixth corps and Toobert's cavalry.
Finally, the Sixth corps, always splendid
fighters, from high vantage ground; the
golden hour granted, had something of AN
equal show where they could form a regular
line of battle, backed by the cavalry corps,
something the Eighth Vermont had not been
permitted to enjoy.
Still, Notwithstanding all this, two divis-
ions of the Sixth corps were tlanked and
roughly handled, and only one division
(Getty's), under General l.. A. Grant barely
had time to reach a coveted ridge near Mid
dletown in season to prevent the enemy
from thanking the entire Sixth corps and
the student of war may well eXclaim, " If
the hour of grace gained was scarce sufi-
cient, what would have been the result but
for Thomas heroic fight at early dawn, and
the golden hour thus gained to the army?"
Far distant, however, be the day when
the Eighth Vermont fails to accord equal or
higher honors to other regiments in this
battle. Among those proper to mention
here, most cordially do we greet the gallant
One Hundredth Fourteenth New York,
nee of oar brigade, which hung itself in
front of the foe and left half its members
sister regiment, the Tenth Vermont, for
among the deeds of valor none were
brighter than that when that regiment
charged back in the face of the enemy and
rescued an abandoned battery; and the gal
liant old Vermont brigade did here just
what its reputation guaranteed, to wit: SUI
perb service later in critical hour.
Sheridan's crown was Cedar Creek. And
now what shall | say of the colors and the
flag of the Eighth Vermont in the afternoon
fight and glorious victory? Where Thomas
and the flag went the men would go, even
into the gates of death. Will the men of
the Eighth Vermont ever forget the voice
and form of Thomas and his battle-f1ag as
the regiment, in its wild delrium, broke
through the battle-scarred veteran brigade
of Evans on the enemy's left? Here again
Sheridan introduced us to one of Custer S
finest regiments, the First Vermont Cav
airy, and in the marvellous night pursuit
that followed, the First and Eighth were
the only Vermont regiments that went be-
yond the creek to Strasburg, and side by
side in the darkness and confusion they
We'd with each other in shouting over cap
tured cannon and the great victory until
midnight found our own regiment well up
on the sides of Fishers Hill and the First
Cavalry holding as prisoner the brave and
wounded General Ramseur.
Comrades of the old First Cavalry, the
Eighth Vermont salute you; and it is more
than appropriate that the two Vermont reg
iments which fought side by side in the final
charge at the great battle of Winchester and
Cedar Creek should unite at the capital of
our state and rejoice together over our
achievements for the Union.
Secretary II. o. Wheeler of the cavalry
read letters of regret from Comrades Brain
erd May and Thomas and one from j. II.
Woodward the first chaplain of the cavalry.
Brief remarks were made by Colonel f. E.
Smith, Governor Ormsbee, Lieutenant-gov-
ernor Fuller, Captain f. II. Buffum and
General William Wells. During the even
ing much interest centered in the " Yelling
ton " and " Hill " trophies, described in
last week S paper. The galleries held many
interested witnesses to the festivities, and
great many strangers were seen at the
banquet. Among the distinguished gentle
men present, besides those mentioned as par
ticipating in the exercises, were Ex-Governor
Farnham, Colonel w. l.. Greenleaf Colonel
j. b. Mead, Major Warren Gibbs Captain
f. S. Stranahan, Colonel w. H. Gilmore,
Colonel II. e. Hill, Major j. Grout, Dr.
Nichols, Captain Eli Holden, Captain
Moore and Captain Howard. The reunions
were the most enjoyable and largely at
tended yet held by the respective associa-
tons OF the cavalry some eighty members
were present and of the Eighth regiment,
| fifty-eight.