The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-10-24
NUMBER 40.
SKETCH OF THE PARTTAKFN BY
THE VERMONT TROOPS AT
GETTYSBURG.

SKETCH OF THE PARTTAKFN BY
THE VERMONT TROOPS AT
GETTYSBURG.
1t is no part of the writer's present
purpose to sketch in any detail the move
ments proceeding the battle. 1t will be
enough il we remember that Gen. Lee
took across the Potomac, on his north
march, the best rebel army at the height
OF it's strength, numbering about 100 900
men OF all arms; that the Army of the
Potomac, $4,000 to 10000 strong, had
followed, covering Washington, till Bal
tImore was also threatened, and then
moving so as to be able to intercept him,
should he march upon either city; and
that the rebel commander, haYiDg COL
lected his army in the Cumberland Val
ley, in Pennsylvania, turned southwark
on the LIST of July, 1863 through the
mountains, to anticipate the Army of
the Potomac in securing the point-the
village of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, at
which the main roads cross and diverge
to Baltimore, Frederick City, ,Harrisburgh
and Washington. We pass over all de-
tails of the hard and toilsome march, ac-
complished at the rate OF nearly 20 miles
a day, for 10 consecutive days, by which
our army moved from the Rapahannock
to the Pennsylvania border. We must
omit, too, any detailed description Of the
battle of Wednesday, July 1st, begun in
the morning by Gen. Buford with the
cayalry, two miles north of Gettysburg
opened in earnest by the brave and capa
BILE Gen. Reynolds, (who was one of its
first Victims with the first Army Corps;
sustained through nearly two hours of
stubborn and at times aggressive fight
ing by Gen. Doubleday, who succeeded
to the command of the 1st Corps con-
tinued under Gen. Howard with the 10th
and 11th Army Corps, till, at o'clock
in the afternoon, outnumbered and out
fanked. our forces abandoned the hard
and hopeless fight for the ridge north
west of Gettysburg, and retreated to
Cemetery Hill, on the southern outskirts
of the village,
The I'd Vermont Brigade, consisting
of the 18th Regiment. Col. A, p. Blunt;
18th, Col. F. V. Randall; 14th, Col. W,
T. Nichols; 10Th Col. Redfied Proctor,
and 10Th, Col. W. G., Veazey, Vermont
regiments under command of Brigadier
General George j. Stannard, had been
assigned to the Sd division of the 1st
Corps, when the army passed the line of
the Occoquan but leaving that line a
day behind the corps, it had not been
able, though marching hard and gaining
gradually on the corps. to make an act
ual junction with it before the battle.
The 18th aud 10Th Regiments were de-
tached at Emmetsburgh, by order of
Major General Reynolds, to guard the
corps trains. On the afternoon of We'd
nesday, July 1st, in compliance with an
order of Gen. Sickles, the 10th Regi-
ment rejoined the brigade on Cemetery
Hill, and remained there through the
night, and until noon of the %, when it
guard the ammunition train, then packed
at Rock Greek Church, about two and
half miles from the field. The 18th and
10Th Regiment we're sent back to West
minister from there; and thus, while
doing important duty and going where
they were ordered, had no opportunity
to share in the glory and dangers of the
actual conflict.
The brigade thus for the time being re-
duced to the three regiments, did its ut
most on Wednesday, hurried forward by
the sound of the cannon and by our
couriers from Gen. Doubleday, to reach
the field in time to take part in the first
days fight. 1t succeeded only in reach
ing the ground as the last guns were
fired from Cemetery Hill. 1t marched
in on the left, over ground which was
occupied by the enemv next morning,
and after some marching and counter
marching, under contradictory orders
from different corps commanders, three
of whom assumed immediate command
of the brigade, was allowed to halt and
drop to rest on the left of Cemetery Hill.
Gen, Stannard was appointed general
field officer of the day, or of the night
rather, for that portion of the field, and
a picket detail of two hundred men of Il Q
10Th Regiment was posted in front, re-
lievlng cavalry who had been doing that
service. Thursday morning the brigade
was moved to the rear of Cemetery Hill,
and five companies of the 18th, under
command of Lieut.. Col. Munson, were
detached as a support to one Of the bat
teries on the Hill. Company B. Of the
18th, was also detached to strengthen
the skirmish line on the left front of
Cemetery Hill, and did not rejoin the
regiment till the close of the battle.
While stationing these skirmishers, Capt.
A, G. Fostor, Acting Inspector General
on Gen. Stannard's staff, was shot
through both legs, the fret officer OF the
brigade that was hurt by rebel bullet.
The shells burst thickly over the brigade
during the severe shelling of Cemetery
Hill, which accompanied the assault on
our left on Thursday afternoon, and q
few men were wounded by the pieces.
Gen. Stannard was placed for while IN
charge of thelposition occupied by the bat
teries on the top Of the hill, and took his
post where the Taneytown road crosses
the brow Of the Hill,-a convenient spot
for observation Of the enemy, but sufi-
ciently dangerous from the attention
paid to 1t by both the rebel artillery and
sharpshooters. The regiments Of his
command, however, lay below the crest,
and had nothing to do till late in the
afternoon, when orders came which hur
ried them to the left and front, into the
fight OF which they had thus far heard
much but seen little. They were sent by
Gen. Doubleday to the rescue and sup
port of the batteries on the left centre,
which the enemy, following up the re-
treat of the Sd Corps, were now assault
ing with infantry. The 14th Regiment,
Col. Nichols, led the way, and forming
In line Of battle, moved forward under
a sharp fire to the rear of battery from
which the supporting infantry had just
retired in confusion. The enemy fell
back as they advanced, and the firing
soon ceased at that point. The 10Th
Regiment Col. Veazey, which followed
the 18th, also found in front of it bat
terry without support, and supported it
till dsrk-losing a few men by cannon
shots. The right wing Of the 18th, the
left wing of the regiment, it will be re-
membered, was supporting battery on
Cemetery Hill, and had not yet come,
up,-was brought forward in the rear
Of the position OF a battery which had
Just fallen into the hands of the enemy.
The gunners had fed from their guns or
fallen under them. The rebels laid hold
of the pieces. In another momont they
would have been turned upon US. At
this moment Col. Randall, whose horse