Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-05-04
no. 1S.
~ ThE WILDERNENN
The Experience Of u Private soldier is
GirRnt's Great Battle, Mny ), 1864.

d. fHtH.
,''- l'"'s W P'o'e many at-
'e"'P's nave ocen made by officers who
were eye-witnesses, and were actively en-
gagged in that great strife. to tell ~ story,
i'm detail Win al p,.. ...,,;,. ...l a..
'''
"' '"' '''''' l"l '''ll'hahu' lhe
N""'e story mas never been told nor Will
1t ever be told. The gray hairs the empty
sleeves, the crippled forms of men ,,hose
moJast, nvar.bad,,,. tI,.ir L.....;.. Ill.
,,... III. ...........,...,
''''''- t"e genera
uloh OF Iou'y. III those days when men
were IN that great Whirlpool of death, fight
ing Tor American freedom. ] was "a lad in
my teens yet ! fought, bled and suffered
the same AS any private soldier for the same
great cause. II Is not my purpose 10 give
an account OF the battle of the Wilderness
nut only To tell w hat happened in my regi-
ment, the second Vermont and the part
that GO. ! took ON the 9TH OF May 1864.
In the morning our regiment, with the
rest OF the brigade, marched up TO the old
W Nilderness tavern and halted IA few hours
then moved across the old pike to where the
Brock road crosses the plank road. At the
same time the rebels were moving down
the plank road, driving our cavalry before
them. The Vermont boys were there, but
none too soon. 1t will be remembered that
TINS position was considered by Gen. Grant
to be the key to the whole situation, and it
appears That the Vermont boys were select
Ell as the only men who could he entrusted
WIN such an important place. OF the
bravery pi her men IN those trying hours
Ncrmont may well feel proud Soon after
they were placed IN line Of battle, Gen
Hancock was seen riding up the Brock road.
Ills horse, under the pressure Of the gene
RAJ spurs, was making his best time. As
he came up to the plank road and in front
Of the Second Vermont, he made a sudden
matt and inquired, What troops are these -
The Vermont brigade, was the quick re
sponse from many voices. Gen. /. \. Grant
stepped forward, and received orders to
advance. Gen. Hancock well knew that
upon the bravery of the old y ermont brig
ade for the next hour depended the safety
oi his corps, II not OF the whole army. Al
most Immediately the regiment was order
ed into the fight, and marched left Of com
pany IN front till within about 80 yards Of
the enemy, when the order, Left of com
pany INTO line, was given. At the same
time the rebels opened a murderous fire Of
musketry upon us. We pushed forward
till within about 100 yards of them before
returning the fire, it being supposed that
the Third Vermont was in front OF us. At
this point the sharp rattle of musketlv all
along the line told Us that the struggle had
bet,ln Tn. Lrusb ,,os go ,b;l. a.. ,
.ti '"' 80 '"''N 'l"u We
were uAhn'e I" see the enemy, even while
standing at 50 close a range Company |
was the ninth in line ybiI. C,,,,,i.,,,r
-, . III :. m ''i''F -
tbst ra, 81 nearl'. Nh, 49, ,','t 'i''' ,q
lin" af battIa ri. ,7..L+ "S S...,,. ,'i '''e
and III. IeFt ~ c,,,,,a,',. le'. "a
md IL ,,al bar. tbnt H. ul IL, ''lis i',au,
1yss -, La5l, ,,t I I'm H.. ~ ,'''' go',, iais
faII in, vii, 5,u,,,a,., a5 S,;I', VII
~ ,s ,'ai ,,;,i :, W. ''i 'le sS''i' s'qe
tilI tl.. r.-,i,,,,,,t r.lI ii,t-. d -
TI,a mi. MOI, ,,,, ,l., l,,r, IL -
i'u!' 'I n Wy 'ei' sue VI IllI9 ""ou
ROAD was Martin II. HarWOOd of Company
\, who was wounded lust before the fight
in, ,,,sol H., r,,,.l. - 80
"-S "'S'' ii' l'u- III da HTdN'lN ana as