The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-10-24


ceded by their skirmisbes the long RraV
lines came on at common time, till they
reached the lowest ground half way
across the open interval, when the Yer
mont regiments, which, il will be remem.
bsred, occupied position adv auced from
the general front Of the army, were or
dered up in line by Gen. Stannard. Tho
enemy's right was now aiming apparent.
ly directly upon the 14th Regiment: and
the order was sent to Col. Nichols, BY
Gen. Stannard, to hold his fire till the
enemy was close upon him, then TO give
him volley, and after that the bayonst.
The l4th Regimen at once opened hra
by battalion, and continued il by Ale. At
about % rods distance, with yerv great
effect. The 18th Joined in fire with the
l4th, and line Of dead rebels at the clos0
showed distinctly where they marched
across the front OF the Vermonters, As
the rebel lines fronted and advanced
they swung partly TO the rear on their
right and becoming massed, presented
from some points of view the appear
ance OF a column massed by regiments;
and the force 10 so described iu some of
the reglmental and brigade reports. The
"a Corps met them in front with \ des-
tructiVe musketry fire, but they still
swept on. They reached, pressed back,
actually broke through our lines, The
rebel Gen. Armistead had his hand on
one OF our guns when he was shot down.
The general advance Of the enemy was
as yet unchecked, when a sudden assault
on their right changed the aspect of af-
fairs. The opportunity OF q flank at
tack had been noticed by General Stan.
nard, and acted on with q dicision and
promptitude which did him infinite
credit. Without hesitating he ordered
the 18th and 18th Regiment out upon the
enemy's flank. The 18Th Regiment came
down and formed on the left, and, once
engaged in firing, all we're so eager that
1t was with difficulty they were induced,
sitter the enemy in front Of them had
surrendered to preceive the fact and
stop. The front Of our regiments, where
they opened fire, was hardly q dozen
rods from the enemy's flank, and they
advanced while firing, so that distance
was much lessened. At this short range
the 18th fired 10 or Is rounds, and the 10Th
probably half that number, into q mass
OF men on which every bullet took ef-
feet, and many doubtless found two or
three victims. The effect upon the rebel
lines was instantaneous, Their progress
ceased close upon the low breastWorks
of the I'd Corps. For a moment they
crowded together in bewiderment, fal-
ling like wheat before the reaper; then
breaking into a disorderly mob, they
fled in all directions.
But the work on the left centre was
not yet ended. The rebel brigade, which
formed the support to Pickett's Division
on the right, was now advancing across
the open fields. 1t did not follow the
flank movement which had proved so
disastrous to the main column, but
marched straight forward, directing its
course upon the position of the 14th Regi-
ment. The 14th received it with q hot
fire in front, while the 10Th. (Which had
been already faced about by Col. Veazey
and started back in anticipation Of the
order) was ordered back to take them
on the flank. The 18th was at the same
time directed to resume its former posi-
tion. The enemy's batteries, which had
ceased their fire, now reopened with re-
doubled fury, and shot and shell tore
thickly through the ranks of our regi-
ments, as these orders we're obeyed.
They sustained it without being thrown
into disorder, some of the rebels &C.
counts to the contrary not withstanding.
The 18th resumed its place in line in
good order, while the 10Th, marching by
flank, hurried back at double quick
across the open field losing many men
killed or wounded, but keeping its for
nation as perfectly as if marching on
parade. Soon changing front, toj the
left, the regiment formed in line of
battle, facing oblquely the left flank Of
the rebel force, now brought nearly to a
halt by the trout fire. At Col. Veazey's
request, preferred in person to Gen.
Stannard, he was now given permission
to charge. The regiment fell upon the
enemy's flank, cheering, with bayonets,
at a charge, and without firing a shot.
The movement was 80 sudden that the
rebel commander could effect no change
of front to meet it, and the 18th swept
down the line of three regiments, taking
their colors and scooping them in a body
into our lines. The regiments were then
all brought back to the original line and
remained there till 10 o'clock in the
evening, when they were withdrawn a
short distance to the rear and allowed
to bivouac for the night. The loss of the
brigade was 80 killed, 246 wounded, 63
missing-sggregate 34S. During the last
sharp shower of grape and shell, with
which the enemy strove TO cover his re-
pulse, Gen. Stannard was wounded in
the leg by an iron shrapnel ball, which
passed down for three inches into the
muscles on the inside of the thigh.
Gen. Crawford drove in the enemy's
right at dusk, and tooks some prisoners;
but the battle, in fact, ended with the
repulse of Pickett's great charge.
Now we go back TO note the share in
the battle taken by the other Vermont
troops. The 1st Vermont Brigade, I'd,
Sd, 4th 9Th and 9Th Vermont Regiments,
under command of Col. L. A. Grant,
rested at Manchester, Nd, during the
day and until midnight OF July 1st,
when it marched with the rest of the 9th
Corps for the field. 1t reached Gettys
burg az p. M. of Thursday, July I'd, by
a forced march of 30 miles. The battle
was raging fiercely on the left as the
corps came upon the ground and wait.
ing only to close its ranks it was at once
formed in line of battle as support to
the 9th Corps, then warmly engaged in
its immediate front, The lines in front
stood firm, and the brigade did not be-
come engaged. Soon after dark the brig.
gade was marched to the left, and took
position near the foot Of Round Top Hill.
Next morning it was moved still further
down, and formed the extreme left OF
our army, It's line of battle extending
nearly at right angles with the main line.
This responsible position the let Brigade
held till the close of the battle. Shot
and shell, at times, on the Sd, fell along
its line but the enemy did not reach its
immediate front. Probably it would
have been fiercely assailed on Friday
afternoon had it not been for an impor-
tant diversion, effected by the cavalry,
in which the lst Vermont Cavalry took
prominent part. That Hoods Division,
on Longstreet's extreme right, did not
participate in the great rebel assault OF
Friday afternoon is believed to be due to
the presence and daring of our cavalry.
1t is shown that at three important
points in the field, and at two great crises
Of the battle. the presence aud good be-
havior of Vermont troops had an impor-
tant bearing on the final result But
something more than this may be justly
claimed, for them, viz. that the flank
attack of the % Vermont Brigade de-
cided the fate of the great rebel charge
of Friday afternoon, and with it the issue
of the battle,
STATu NEuS