News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-08-21
mander-in-Chief Veazey.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE-THAT BRILLIANT
CHARGE AT GETTYSBURG.

title OF commandments mas oooh
bestowed upon one of her most dis
soldiers and citizens. Col.
Wheelock G. Veazey first saw the
lio.ht in the town of Brentwood,
county, N. H., Dec. >,
1885, and there he acquired the rudl-
ments of his education. He then en-
tered Phillips Exeter Academy, and
laid the foundation for a collegiate
course at Dartmouth, from which in
he graduated with honorsi IN
the class of 1859. He completed his
legal studies at the Albany law
school. and settled in Rutland. When
the first sounds of war were heard he
responded to the call with patriotic
zeal, and enlisted as a private IN the
Sd Vermont regiment. Hewas shortly |
afterward promoted to the captalncY |
of company A of his regiment. This
regiment was later a part OF the IA
nous Vermont brigade. Promotions
came to him in rapid succession until
he commanded his regiment. This
regiment had as its first commander
Gen. W. f. Smith (popularly known,
and in history, too, as " Badly }.
The regiment took part in the Pc
ninsular campaign under Mcclellan
in 1862 at Lees Mills, and all the
battles of thatcampaign. Col. Veazey
served with the regiment continuously
until October, 1862, except for time
as chief of staff under Gen. Smith, or
when in command of other regiments
by special detail. He was discharged
early in that month for promotion
to the colonelcy of the 10th Vermont
regiment, and this promotion was
tie turning point in his military ca
reer. This was fully demonstrated
by subsequent events, for his regl-
ment was destined to achieve repu-
tation at Gettysburg which made 1T
famous the world over.
At the reunion of his regiment, held
at Chester, VT, in 1873, Col. Neazey
delivered an address, in which his ac-
ton at that eventful time was eX-
planned.
In describing the events of the Sd OF
July, he said:
"And then toward noon came the hull, and
after that the cannonades and the vigorous
assault on the left centre, which We occupied:
You remember how steadily you rallied ana
formed as YOU fell back before the main body
of the enemy as he charged down the slope
You remember how you rose, as II suddenly
grown out of the earth, and poured deadly
! volleys into the opposing ranks. and how the
| enemy broke and surged of to the right as
| though to BASS by; how you wheeled out ana
| formed and then moved on the rebel flank,
/ firing as YOU advanced His lines wlthered
and disappeared under the destructive fire,
| and another column came rushing down to
| carry him by our flank and rear. In the
movement the regiment had MAIDEN the cap
/ ture of prisoners the regiment was much
! broken, and the appearance of n new force,
| about to pass US as just described, made 1t
necessary for rapid and decided action on our
part
g 1t was plain that we must do one or two
| things either double quick back to our origi-
nal position, with view of reaching it before
the enemy did, and so be there to receive him
| as he came down and advanced on our artil-
lery which was on the rise of ground to our
| rear. or change front 1--WE then being faced at
nearly right angles toward the right) so as
to face obliquely to the left, and charge the
enemy's flank as he should reach the bottom
| of the valley, along which was the ditch and
bushes where we had been during the fore
noon. 1t seems to me now almost lnconcelv-
able that in the confusion of that terrible
battle a regiment that had begun its fight on
| the skirmish line, had formed into battalion
| under fearful fire and, in the face of a charg-
ing foe had made a change of front and
counter charge with vigor that resulted in
disorganization. could in moments time
be Strengthened out reformed, make another
change of front in the very centre of the field
| where the battle ragged in its greatest fury
| and men were falling every minute. and then
charge again. But at that time my conf
dence in you was such that did not even de-
bate the matGec in my mind. There was. in
! fact no time for that, for the whole move
meat took place quicker than it can be de-
! scribed | decided instantly to make the
| charge, because | felt and knew you would
| make it It ordered. At that moment we were
ordered back to our original position.
This order was sent, as ! now understand
/ before this new column of the enemy appear
/ ed. but did not reach me till after its appear
/ ance, and then | understood it was made with
reference to the approaching enemy. there
| fore sent word back that we would be in sea
/ son to take care of him. And while you were
/ going through the movement OF change OF
/ front, saw Gen. Stannard and explained my
| plan, which he was quite willing should be
| carried out, but at first thought 1T was i'm
/ possible. | so well remember his remark:
| Good God colonel, your men will do almost
/ ANYTHING, but the men don't live this side of
/ hell that can be made to charge down there
1 My reply, whatever it was convinced him to
| let us try. BY that time you had completed
the change of front and the enemy had reach
/ ed the point to be struck. and | remember as
l stepped in your front and said Men. are
! YOU ready for a charge? your shout of re-
! Spouse seemed to me could be heard from
! Virginia to Vermont, and instantly the order
was given, and before the enemy could change
his front to meet you or could fall back you
! reached his flank and swept down his line
| capturing regiment after regiment, and stand
| after stand of colors, until the whole line had
| disappeared, and the battle of Gettysburg
| was VIGOROUSLY closed by the sons of Yer
mont all unused to battle. amid the thunder
ing plaudts of the veterans of the grand
old army of the Potomac. This movement
| had the effect to concentrate a heavy aPtil-
| lery fire upon us, which continued after the
| charge was over and caused us severe loss
| The question is often asked me how we could
go through such battle without greater
! loss, it being less than $50 out OF total
present of about 400.
1.-THE explanation is that the enemy clearly
| did not know our location during the artil-
lery fire. and so it was mostly over our heads,
/ and after the infantry attack we were on the
move almost constantly, hence the enemy
| could get no deliberate range upon u.s."
When the war was over Col. NeaZey
returned to Rutland and continued
his law practice. In the fall of 1864
he was elected reporter of decisions Of
the supreme court of Vermont, and
occupied that position for eight
years. He was subsequently APP
pointed register in bankruptcy. and
held the office until the bankrupt law
was repealed. He had begun to take
an active interest in politics, and in
| 1S72-1S73 was a member of the state
senate. In 1879 he was elevated to
the bench of the supreme court of his
state, and during the following year
he performed the arduous duty of re-
vising the laws of the state. Col.
Veazey held his judicial position for
the period of ten years, resigning in
1880 after faithful and efficient ser
vice. In that year he was appointed
as member of the Interstate commits
sion by President Harrison, and oc-
cupies that office at the present time.
Col. Veazey always took "a great in
! terest in his alma mater, and has
been a trustee of Dartmouth College
since 1878. In 1887 that institution
conferred the degree of l.. l.. d. upon
him.
With the Grand Army of the Re
public, Col. Veazey has been cOnspic-
uously identified. Through his in
strumentality the department OF Yer
mont G. A. Il. was founded in 1867,
and since that time he has been one
of the firmest and stanchest friends
of the order He was elected depart
ment commander in 1878, and was
reelected for three years, his admin
| istratiOn giving a new growth to the