The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-09-15

One month later, at the head of a recon
noltering column, the regiment fought it's
way across the. Rappahannock river in the
face OF heavy fire from the enemy's rifle
pits on the opposite bank, At signal the
Vermonters dashed to the rivers brink,
launched number of pontoon boats,
scrambled in and pulled across On the
other side the men in the foremost boats
charged up the bluffs and overpowered the
Confederates who were paying attention
to the boatloads yet in the stream. It was
a daring feat, carried by boldness and nerve.
At Gettysburg these; Vermonters were
in reserve. 1t was STANDARDS Vermont
militia that was immortalized in the re-
pulse of Pickett's charge. After Gettys-
burg, in the pursuit of Lee to the Potomac,
the Fifth was away to the front on the heels
of the cavalry. At Funkstown, Md, near
Antietam, on July 10, the Confederates
turned on their pursuers, and the Yer
monters again displayed their valor on an
obscure field. Col. L. A. Grant, of the
Fifth, commanded the brigade, and, noting
that the enemy was making for a ridge
between the lines, he thought it would be
q good scheme to get there first with his
Vermonters
The position was so extensive that his
troops only made a fair skirmish line when
deployed. The outwitted enemy tried to
carry by force what they had let slip by
dalliance and charged again and again.
But the Green Mountain boys were grit"
to the bone and didn't bulge an iota. The
main Union army and trains were yet far
in the rear, and the skirmishers were left
unaided a whole afternoon and night.
They held out, though, and after firing
away their supply of bullets sent messen-
gers to fetch up more on stretchers In
one OF the charges made upon the Yer
monters Col. Grant counted seven regi-
ments in the column. Yet they fell back
before the deadly skirmish fire.
At the close Of the Gettysburg campaign
and its sequels the plucky souls of the
army began to re-enlist. The Fifth was
the first Vermont regiment to go in for
q second term. After holiday trip to
the old green hills as a reward for re
enlisting, the regiment took it's place in
the Sixth corps, numbering 500 muskets.
At the Wilderness, May 5, 1864, it was in
Gen. Getty's line, touching elbows with
Hancock's men in the Plank Road fight.
The lieutenant colonel, j. A. Lewis was
wounded at the outset, and Mai. c. p
Dudley stepped to the front to lead. Col
Grant was still brigadier of the Vermont
ers, and discovering, as he thought, that
the Confederate line was thin in front of
the Fifth, ordered Dudley to charge. The
men dashed in with cheer, carried the
point and looked around for supports.
The latter had weakened and left the
brave boys in tight place, for the enemy
Kept strong reserve and thanked Dudley's
little band, forcing it to retreat. The reg
iment, got out Of the Wilderness with an
even half Of it's men on their legs, and
three days later the dashing Upton cheese
it as one of twelve picked commands to
make up astorming party at Spottsylvania.
Ihat famous assault was only a step
around the corner from the scene Of Han
cocks bloody game a little later, and was
aimed at the same stronghold, the angle
on PIN Mc ng9 Isl; farm The breastworks were
headlogs, but the stormers went over them,
capturing and dispensing two lines of Con-
federates and spilsing their cannon. Once
more the Union supports skipped the ap-
polntment. Lees generals rallied their re-
serves and drove Upton from the works.
said that If rations and cartridges were
supplied them they would fight it through
to finish. But headquarters took a diff &
terent view and recalled them The Fifth
lost IS in oil, ~ of them mortally hurt
Maj. Dudley arose from sick bed to lead
his boys and received u wound that aggra.
waited his disease and death followed
In the Petersburg and Shenandoah cam
palgns the regiment fought as u battal-
ion. At the final assault on the works at
Petersburg, April 2, 1865, it led the Sixth
corps line and planted its colors first upon
the Confederate works. 1t lost 10 killed
that day, making a grand total Of 213
deaths tI1, by the enemg,s bullets, besides 47s