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

My comrades, this heroic struggle and
costly sacrifice of the sth Vermont proved
an event of mighty shaping power in this
battle. for the Confederate centre WAS
worried and delayed more than half
hour across the pike, and as the smaller
mastiiI clings to the throat of the larger
IN conflict, so the regiment and brigade
chung to the throat of the foe as he forced
us back toward Meadow Run, to the west
ward and away from the pike, the key to
the battlefield for the enemy. a full hour
was thereby gained, during which many
regiments of he 10Th corps eXtricated and
distinguished themselves. y golden hour
was gained IN which the 9Th corps had
time to form, cut loose and swing entirely
clear from the rest OF the army to high
ground to the north, fitted by nature
for strategy in war thereby lodging
he direct and powerful blow shot out
10y the right arm of Earlys concentrated
army and by this time the iierceness ct
he first morning charge had died ont, the
cyclone of the battle had spent itself II
was no longer the magnificent sweep of
Vl>iOns-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 9th corps
had had time to take position to arrest his
progress, and a cavalry corps lowered on
his right flank.
Briefly, some of the important points Sc
cured were:
list. The golden hour gained to
the 9th corps (Which was heightened
by the assistance of the 18th corps regi-
ments as we neared Meadow Rum en-
abed the 9th corps to dodge the first blow
and move to high ground
I'd. The long bulldog fight of our brl-
gade 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.
3D.. This long charge and fight Of the
enemy disjointed his lines and exhausted
his men. compelling a partial change Of
front, with tagged men, to meet the two
comparatively fresh corps now threaten
ing their right flank the 9Th corps and
Toobert's cavalry.
Finally, the 9th corps, always splendid
fighters, now on high vantage ground
the golden hour granted, had something
of an equal show where they could form
Il regular line of battle backed by the cav
airy corps, something the Sth Vermont
had not been permitted to enjoy.
still, Notwithstanding all this, two di-
visions of the 9th corps were ilanked and
roughly handled, and only one division
Getty - under Gen. i. y. Grant barely
had time to reach a coveted ridge mean
Middletown in season to preventive enemy
from thanking the entire 9Th corps; and
the student of war may well eXclaim, IF
the hour of grace gained was scarce suf-
ticient, what would have been the result
but for Thomas's heroic fight at early
dawn and the golden hour thus gained to
the army
Ours was a solitary, isolated combat.
And to preserve in permanent, condensed
form references thereto, II Is proper to
record the fact that seven different his
toIians make special mention of its inn
portance and savage nature; that Lieut.
Gen. Sheridan stated over his own sigma
ture that the Sth Vermont fought with
conspicuous gallantry at the battle of
Cedar Creek Col. Newhall, Of sheridan :
staff. wrote, "The sth Vermont did all its
work well but think most highly of its
services in the morning Of the battle OF
Cedar Creek, when in the confusion and
din one firm regiment was worth it,
weight in gold. Your men, standing by
the colors and making that desperate
fight with the battle clashing around
them, showed As much morale as Sheri-
dan did when he came up later and in the
same spirit melted on victory. OF
eminent Southern men, Mai Gen. GOrdan
of Confederate fame, in a recent cOmmu-
nication, substantiates in the man the
statements made herein so far as they re
late to the regiments conflict with his
corps and the results arising theretIom
Colonel Hotchkiss, at kershaW's side in
the assault, calamity >alutes the regiment
as follows "The losses IN killed and
wounded that you sustained in tins brief
shock of battle by your own gallant regl-
ment, and by those associated with 1t, are
the best proof of the fierceness of our at
tack and the courage and OhStiuacY of
your defence. such a display Of heroic
furtitude by the men and by the leader Of
your command i worthy OF the highest
praise and admiration. The spldlerly
hunorS OF the day on your side, the hOnor@
. l,.,. al Inv "A ny
will be awarded to the men that un-
hnchlngly take any odds when duty calls
to action, appear beyond question to be
long to the brave meu of your command
In recognition of their display of such
courage, it gives me pleasure to salute
them whether living honOred among then
comrades or dead on the field OF hOnora
Bile contest
Far distant, however, be the day whel
the Eighth Vermont fails to accord equa
or higher honorS to other regiments II
this battle. Among those proper TO men
ton here, most cordially do we greet the
gallant ll4th New York, once of our brig
AIDE, which flung itself in front OF the TOE
and left half its members PROSTATE ano
bleeding. Or AGAIN, our brave sister req
meut. the Tenth Vermont, for among the
deeds of Valor none were brighter than
when that regiment charged back IN the
face of the enemy and rescued an aOau
dOned battery and the gallant old Yer
mont brigade did here just what its repu
tation always guaranteed, to wit: superb
service later, in a critical hour.
But the scenes in the drama SHIT
Sheridan suddenly appeared III the midst
of his broken regiments. lie found his
army in weakness; ne restored il tc
/ power. He found his army disjointed
/ and presenting simply division or corps
front AT time to the combined assault OF
/ the enemy. He quickly changed this I'M
equal mode of warfare and advanced al
| the troops To continuous line thus
uniting the corps. In fact, Sheri
dan showed conSummate general
ship here, for he plucked glory from
calamity: his crown was Cedar Creek
And now what shall say of the color
and the flag of the Sth Vermont in the af
tenoOn fight and glorious victory All
me can see Thomas now Is he gathered
up his thinned and bleeding ranks ant
spurred his horse forward. There was nj
/ halting. no waverng, the flag was there
and where Thomas and the flag went tht
men would 90, even INTO the gates %
death Will men of the Sth Vermont eVel
forget the voice and form of Thomas ant
his battle flag as the regiment in its wilt
/ dclirium broke through the battle SCARED