The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1893-01-13
Tenting on The Old Camp Ground
Or Co. G. 10th VT. Vols. to the Front.
By Lieut.. r. II. WHITE.
MO. 81


towards the rebel works, and it was
wonderful relief t. my mind when diScoN
cred that there was 50 little opposition Il
front as to render the cutting away of IN
abattiS unnecessary.
The head of the column passed through
The opening II ed by the rebels To pass thrl
picketS out and in, an was already cross
inc tn deep ditch ON the two SlrmgeTS uSet
by the rebel pickets for Il like purpose. On
aXe-men We're inst ahead Of the company
and when they reached the stringers Ftlz
gerald held his axe out in his right hand 81
that | could see 1t, and looked back owe
his shoulder for Instructions. | waived my
hand in manner understood by him ant
the two axes were dropped iptO The dlc h
BY this time the three right companies
were over the works, and inside thu
enpmy'S lines.
As crossed the strnger a shell from {
rebel Fort exploded so close to me as II
envelope me IN fire. 1t had paSstd me by
about two feet when 1t exploded, and as the
fragments slill continued to travel from me
i was unhurt.
When once inside the enemVs works
strange sights met the eye. The rrbr's
were Just waking up. They came out OF
their tents half dressed. and some were not
dressed at all. Some had hats, while Others
had no hats at all, Many hat no muSketS
with til N, and they were easily gathered
In by "Uncle Sans" reSUIute boys.
Between us and The next Fort to the LETT
was quite ravine while the Fort was on
higher ground with sharp ridge running
b elk at right angles with the line of OrkS
From this ridg the rebels were gathering
I'm force. Gen. Seymour directed Coz
Damon to charge his regiment to the ridge
Beyond, and if possible dISl0dge the enemy,
AT this time the 10th VT, was the only reg
iment inside the enemy's works; bur stray IS
from other regiments were jumping over
the works, and they were at once formed
I,,,+ tI,,,t amin mt
was ordered forward some one slapped me
on the shoulder and on looking up VINO
Should see but the man who lay between
nv head and tie rebel bullet, the brave
John RaymOre He saws 81 will stay with
Vomawhile longer and then we went whirl-
inu into the charge
Owing to the superior numbers of the
enemy. and the fact that there was still no
orpanizpd body of troops within supporting
distance the Colonel halted the regiment
some fifty wards short of the crest where we
were subjected TO a murdeIOus fire and with
ont protection. TO make our position the
more untenable the enemy were adyan-
cinU on IFS from the hill beyond IT. WAS
not long until the men who had Joined us
fnmn0rarilv bppan TO break TO th9 rear and
col. Damon fearing this might lead to
ktampedipg some of his own cOmmant,
wisely ordered a retreat.
was eagerly watching fine movements
of The enemy and did NOT hear the order to
retrpat When discovered that the ROOT
mpnt had gone TO the rear thplr was Int
one left besides mvsrIt and he was inst
fNrnino on his heel when discovered the
Situation. TOoxinp towards the fort at the
iaft observed same half dozpn mon sill
SoIding their ground. Cant Cakes of d.
vision Staff was there eyprtin0 himself AZ
much as nosSibIe in order to hid the fort |
nntii reinforced decided IN on there and
walked forty wards between the two frps IN
"a 9et there For a time we held orr own and
SS,orrad like heavprs Int M troons cama r. |
Cnr aSSistancp 7 soon discoverld thar tbe
enemy were crowding down upon ms. and
Hacked for Cant. Cakes to see What, he nro
nnsed doing. | found TO NV sorrow fiat
fant, Cakes had already gone and SO had
slI the rest
I shall now speak more particularly of |
what happened to myself, partly DecauSe il |
was the most exciting event of nv military
eyneriancp mt more uartlcularIv hpcause
I saw but little of the part taken bv the reg
impnt after he occurrence narrated above
When discovered that was alone the
Grst Thought was in regard TO a wav out
Yhe enemy was fast crOwdinp down and
There was not moment TO lose. TO 90
hacr was to take both orr own and tho on
ernv's for the entire distance. decided IN
inmn the works and down into the ditch in
thn home that | would he ont of ranCp Of
least Of one side. iumppd the works at
one hound, and then jumped to the b tom
IF the ditch which was abOut fen feet deem
Nv twenty wide, / had not reached the
b1ttom before / saw nv mistake, More
than five hundred rebels were in that djtch
sud the foremost ores we're not more than
thirty feet from me- when | reached tha
oround TuttIe was wounded IN the ankle
Sud at one 81 - of This ditch. and saw me-
when | iumned He had hi watch and
fortv dollars IN money in his hand t0 1--WE
mo when uaSspd him: nut | did not see
him or hear him when he called NV name
I had bprn sick ALI winter with chronic
d;arrhCaa and The nights rXposmre had h.
onn tn triI on me-, I'M if Is safe tn saw mat
{ did some fall running. don't know how
many rrbrls were shooting at me. Init the
bIlIats Jew around me Ike hail. and they
,,,.rp CONTINUALLY calling ON me to SIIrrnn !
Ser RuIIpts struck me- i'm the hair and oar
rInd tbe locks STRAIGHT ont i'm front hut
strangn to cav went throuUh If ali and
US nnhnrf. The ditch ran ont into fine rs.
vine before reaching the fort that was in
oiIr nosspssion. Atthr right of fine ditch
was unite a body of wat. RAID / strnck ont
scross mat. il was some three feel in
Senth, and / must have waded ont abont
fhTrp rods when ! came to a fallen tree that
law nm ont of the water. or at least a nor
ti9n of if was. | threw one foot over fine
loo. and made an effort to Get to the other