Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-11-12

MOUNDS OF patriot uead remain mOnu-
neut Of unsurpassed vHlul and dlScipline
And it was liancOtk's closely masspd di-
visions, moving under his eve. which
broke INTO that wild, Spontaneous cheer
rs the red earth Of the salient came into
view, on the early morning of the l9th Of
May dashed forward against II storm of
lead, and lpapcd the confederate cutrruch-
mcnis gathering in 1909 prisoners ~ can
non and 30 standards.
Many OF YOU NcrmOnterS remember, for
you were there, how from that bloodv
dawn tll r. O'Clock at night the IN corpS
win the good 9th lighting ,n its right
held those captured entrench nen' Auaiust
the utmost efforts of Lees veteran brlp.
ades, reused almost to madness by the
losses OF the early morning: how trees
were cut down by the fire of musketrv.
alone their huge limbs whipped into
basket stun that could he woven by the
hands of girl how the foemen fired
their pieces full in each others faces. or
gave bayonel thrusts across the entrench
ments, on which at times the hostile flags
were bOth planted how, again and again
the trenches had to be cleared of the
slain, that the living might have place to
stahd. over that DIES pvrite and protract-
eel contest, Hancock presided, stern
strong and maSterful: withdrawing the
shattered brigade as their aN"tu" IN he
came exhausted, supplying tneir places
with fresh troops feeding the fires of
battle all that long day aud far into the
night, until the contederates. at last
abandoning their attempts to retake the
captured works, retired from the field
iull 20 hours after the ordry 81 ,rward'
had been given to the column at l-,ault.
In the brilliant strategic movement anon
Petersburg, and in the bloody As, nit,
which followed the miscarriage of IT,. at
tempt to seize Che CocAade city before the
arrival OF Lees army, Hancock 'Iuk "A
part which was abruptly terminal Il by
an outbreak of his Gettysburg wuu.d
recovering from his disability, ne con
Quoted in July and August, two eXpedi-
tons to the north bank of the James river
OF which time will allow me 10 speak only
SO lar as to relate an incident Strikingly
characteristic of Hancock aud of the gal
liant commander of the Union cavalry
VINO was, at this time, serving under hal
cocks orders.
me july expedition to Deep Bottom, as
II was called, mad IN view two possible re-
suits. FIRST, that the enemy's lines on
that side of the river might be found 50
thlnly held as to allow our powerful corps
OF cavalry, after the Confederate infantry
should have been pushed back upon
Chapin's Farm, to capture Richmond by a
rush, or at least cut up the railroads on
the north of the city.
Secondly, that, failing in this, the move
ment might serve as felnt to draw "A
large part of Lees army away from
Petersburg, which the 5th, 9TH and Ssh
corps were preparing to enter through the
ghaStly avenue which was to be laid open
by the explosion of Burusde'S mine
The first object was defeated by the
rapid concentration of the enemy'S forces :
but as a demonstration in favor OF Burn
side, the expedition was an overwhelming
success. 50 alarmed were the Coufeder
ates that they drew over to that side the
larger part of their entire army. This.
Durg was, of course, accompanied by no
lncOnslderable danger to the column on
the north bank OF the river
Critical as was our position on the 2Sth
1t was considered highly perilous when
| the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT on the evening of
hall OF the Second corps, back to Peters
burg. This was to leave two small div
lSlOns, scarcely 5000 strong, to confront
overwhelming odds throughout the sue
ceeding day. 1t was, however. provided
that the cavalry should cross to the south
bank, leave the horses there, in the charge
or every fourth cavarymen and, return
| ing, help the Infantry hold their extended
lines. In such situation everything de
pended on the euemy's obtaining not even
a suggestion of the weakness of our re-
naming column. To this end the most
precise Instructions We're l~,urd regarding
the CROSSING, not man Was tututer upUu
the bridge after the first break of day
Every ordinate commander was re
CURED to acknowledge receipt of these
Instructions. aAd, tEen, headquarters.
worn out Nv the excessive cXertlOns of
three preceding days, sank to rest. From
the sound sleep into which had fallen.
was awakened 10y hearing my name called
from the generals tent. Running in,
found Hancock tossing on his camp bed
"Colonel,' he said II am anNiuu, about
the cavalry, 90 to Sheridan and say to
N not ha41 mn
upon the bridge after it is light
Jumped upon an orderly'S horse which
was Kept saddlcd for an emergency. and
galloped over To Sherdan's headquarters.
As | approached, the first voice that chul-
lenged me was not the sentiuel's, not a
stan officers, but the voice OF the great
cavalryman himself "Whos that ="
gave my message. II was thinking of
the same thing was the reply "For-
sythe, 90 down to the bridge, and if
Gen. - mas not crossed, tell HIM to mass
his division behind the woods - Forsylhe
and myself rode together toward the
bridge. \ division of cavalry was lust
entering upon il. Fifteen minutes more,
and the Contsderates, who had all night
listened to the low rumblng sounds and
the dull Earring OF the bridge, and, from
their lOokOuts, had been straniug their
eyes, to catch the direction OF the move
ment, would have seen our troops passing
to the rear, and, in all probability, would
have swoOped down upon our little force,
aud driven us into the river. As it turned
out, when it became light enough for
them to see, what they beheld was our
dlsmOunted cavalrymen, returning from
the south side, with their carDiues over
their shoulders, looking for all the world. |
like honest infantry, seemingly the end of |
a column which had been crossing hll F..
night. The effect was complete The /.
Confederate leaders did not doubt that I.
every brigade which could be taken from
Petersburg lines had been sent in haste /.
across the James, to force Il passage INTO |
Richmond. This illusion, aided by the |
activity and audacity of our >kirmish line, |
under Miles, sutliced not only to save Us |
from an attack which could hardly have .
failed TO result in our destruction, but |
held the Confederate forces in place, - .
miles from Petersburg where the assault /
of the Both of July was impending.
My story carries its own moral. Here
were the two men of the Potomac army
regarding whom it was popularity sup
posed that they won their successes by
daring and brilliant strokes. Yet here
we seen them lying awake at night, after
incredible fatigues, to ponder the chances
of possible miscarriage In how many