The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1893-09-15


Osmpaign-Ho They Carried Marye
Height. ard Resisted 4 Charge OF Lnre
Times Their Number Facts ana Ahci"e"'
About Local Participants
1t was during the winter OF 1872 ana ie0'
the old Vermont brigade lay In camp on IN
nigh land between the Potomac and happi
banncck rivers al u place known rs Wh'teOa
church. Virginia. This church even 10 u
best DAYS would have been considered OF yer
little importance in Vermont, put " was SUI
rounded by many pleasant plantations IN VIVA
must have been good farming co,''m sa .n
activity through the whole army, while IN
Vermonters were not behind In their prepar
ations for the spring campaign. tlghtlnl
,joe Hooker0 was IN command OF the arm;
and we had the greatest confidence III MS adj
ity to end the war. .. o.,
inches of snow and although the fifth wa
Sunday the boys could not forgO tn
nleasure of game of snowbalng. On tn
eiohth President Lincoln and Gen. Hooker
and staff officers, accompanied by many more
generals and their staff, making one OF tht
most imposing cayacades Of officers | evel
saw, reviewed the Sd, 9th and Oh corps neal
Falmouth. The tall, slender form of Pres'
dent Lincoln In dark citizens dress was Ia
marked contrast with the fine uniforms worn
|by the officers. On the 18th we received a
very welcome visitor In the shape OF the br:'
gade paymaster. On the 14.h orders were
received t. get ready to march, and we drew
eight days ratlons apd go pounds OF cartridges
which we looked upon as meaning business.
but about this time rain sat In which lasted
till about the 26 b. The men had plenty OF
money and trucking, trading and poker play
ing whiled away the interim. The suffer
did thriving business. | remember paving
| go cents for dozen of eggs. and my bunk
mate, II. H. Peck, the genial deputy sheriff OF
| I'D 7 sat do nd opiovoH q OnOd
square meal. Butter was 90 to 70 cents
pound, according 10 rank. and the other luxu-
ries of life were equally as high.
On the 9th the Charlottesville campaign
began In real earnest, although our brigade
did not move till the next day about noon.
when we marched out with our rations and
cartridges, blankets, tents and cooking uter-
sis. We camped that night in piece Of
woods on the cold and wet ground below
Fredericksburg, about mile from the Rap
pahannock and the same ground we occupied
the 18th of December before the great battle
OF Fredericksburg. During the next three
days the brigade numbering about $500 men
present for duty. lay alorg the east bank o!
the river. We were In sight and SOUND OF
much of the fighting on the west side of the
river, especially by the artillery, and 1t was
extremely exciting at times and many Of the
movements over the broad plain were grand
and imposing sight to behold. At night the
camp fires burned bright along both banks
of the river, on the hills beyond. In the reoel
camp, the bright lights In the hands Of the
signal corps, fl .shed along the lines as far
as the eye could see and added greatly TO tne
grandeur of the occasion.
Saturday May 2nd. the I'd corps down the
river was withdrawn and sent up to streng'
then Hookers force, although 1t was never
used after 1t got there. The roar of artillery
at the west of Fredericksburg told US that
there was great battle being fought at
Chance liorsvile, and our anxiety to know
the result grew more and more as the day
wore away. About shutdown our brigade
crossed the river at Franklin's crossing, a
little moro than mile below Fredericksburg.
Our regiment supported battery That nignt
the men laying on their arms till daylight.
May 81, as so well said ny Il. N. Drury,
famous poem:
upon the third OF May.
AS underneath St. Marye's Heights the Corps OF
silence, ominous and deep, was on the hillside
then
Though on the top and at the foot were hosts OF
hostile men.
At day light every one was ready for bust.
ness, as 1t was plain to all that great battle
was to be fought. The brigade With the rest
Of the corps moved up towards Fredericks.
burg as far rs Hazel Run and lay In the old
Richmond Stage road. nearly opposite
Marye's bill, for two or three hours. During
This time there was brisk skirmlshing on our
right In and about the city by the 81 division.
while away down to our left along Deep
River the 1st division skirmishes were busily
engaged. While lying here Gen. Howe FORM
ed the division into three storming columns,
The second of which consisted of the 25th N.
the I'd and 9Th Vt. regiments. A little
before noon the signal gun beched forth
he loud command and In an instant our
artillery burst forth In deafening roar. The
we're soon unsung and the columns moved
Onward with calm and steady martial tread,
IS thew were about to pass In grand review. +
The air was filed with shot and ehell and as !
hey burst the broken fragments whlzzed i
,ast In all directions, while we rushed for ,
ward over the broad plain not needing the !
LANCER that surrounded US.
OF the bravery of the old brigade in those !
rying hours, Vermont may we'll feel proud. !
will not attempt to describe all the details !
II this great battle but will leave them to his. :
DRY. As we filed out OF the roads into the
road fields threc-fourths Of mile wide '
tretching to the foot OF st. Mary's hill, pass ?
ng under the guns of one Of cur batteries, =
hall never forget how they cheered the Yer
mont boys. We passed along at the double !
uck and were soon out over the railroad. q
About this time the 26th New Jersey Regi- h
lent which was In our front broke and a
rowded tc the right, into the left and rear =
our regiment. We were now marching n
y the right flank so we could pass by them h
nd so rapidlywere our movements made that G
is great wonder that there was no confC- y
ion nor excitement. Too much praise can d
OF be given Colonel Walbridge and Major a
yler for the way they handled the regiment r
nder such an artillery fife. There seemed to n
e smile of confidence on their faces 10 c.
heer the men on. A. we reached Hazel Run d
lost of the men in the company were able to II
imp the stream. After the most of them had ID
aired the other side Hiland Smell was just T
the act of jumping when shot from reb- p
cannon struck square In the bank under h
ls feet /; In an instant he was on the other Il
de !; had he jumped second sooner he must
I'VE been struck down IN the attempt. He d.
as, however, wounded during this battle. IL
/. and on we pressed till we reached the foot al
the bill and nearly 10 the first line of rifle al
Is where we were out Of the range of most OF
the enemy's guns. Here we halted few M
oments for breath. One OF our c0mpanywas w
overcome with the heat that he was unable te
90 any farther and fell out. Colonies L sh
Grant and j. H. Walbrdge dismounted, m
d some hurried conversation and then Col. eli
'ant's face frightened with smile a. he til
aced his hand on the shoulder OF Col. Wal in
idke and said. "Are you ready, coloneI?' WI
am," was the quick response. In an in &c
INT both were In the saddles and "For- RI,
srd By the right flank" was the command. 70