The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1893-01-20
Tenting on The Old Camp Ground
Or Co. q. 10th vt. Vols. to the Front.
Bu Lieut.. T. III. WHITE.
MO. 32


Before starting in pursuit of Lee 1t ma!
he we'll to look over the work of the regl
ment in battle of the I'd. 1t is certain
that the 10th vt. was the first regiment O
orr division INSIDE the enemy'S WORKS. l.
is lust as certain that the regiment dld tht
uulk of the fighting up to the time OF tht
second charge made against the enemy Oh
the ridge.
When Col Damon was Strengthening his
lines preparatory to making the first charge
against the enemy on the ridge, Gen. Sey
mOur urged him to dispense with the
alignment and told him that his line would
he broken up before he got half way there
The Colonel replied that he would start
with good line whatever happened to II
afterwards Had he received proper sup
port he would certainly have earned the
ridge at the first charge and would MOI
have lost the last Fort captured by the regl-
ment.
The regiment did break through the
enemy's works, and 1t did capture two
Forts with little if any assistance from the
other regiments of the division. Tue com
paratively small loss sustained by the regl-
ment was owing entirely to the good gen
ralship of Gen. Grant. From the time OF
the return of the 9th Corps from the valley
Gen Grant had assigned this corps to the
work of breaking the enemy'S lines, ana
this explains why the 9th Corps had been
moved out of camp that had built and oc-
cupied by themselves.
When Gen. Sheridan came to Petersburg
some time in March Gen. Grant mapped
out the work assigned to him at Hatchers
Run and Five Forks, and gave him the 9th
corps amt cavalry. Gen. Sheridan we'll
knew what the 9th corps had done for him
in the valley and he asked that the 6th
Corps might be given him and, and the 9th
Corps be returned to its former position
now occupied by the 9th G orps. Gen. Grant
replied that the 9th Corps outnumbered the
9th Corps nearly two to one, and that he
anticipated hard fighting on the left, and
ny the expedition. After listening to all
arguments put forth by Gen. Grant in favor
of the 9th Corps Gen, Sheridan said he
knew just what he could do with the 9th
Corps. and had rather have that corps than
any two corps 81. in the army and added a. 81
said 81 have little faith in the other corps
breaking the enemy's lines. They have
made so many attacks, and always been
repused that they have little to encourage
them in such work. No Gen. Sheridan
you cannot have the 9th Corps for | know
they will do what require of them"
On the afternoon of the LIST of April tent
was pitched in lear of our quarters and it
was occupied by Gen. Grant. His plan of
battle was to weaken the enemy in our
front as much as possible by prOlonging
his lines to the Five Forks thereby forcing
ny w ~ t; .iopPo " Iao oISolo.'
on the ., a Ven AI Of the Ist he capseS a
spirited attack to be made by one division
of the 9th Corps. This move led Lee to
believe the main attack was to be made at
, LII tn Nv, fo,i ~ oan1, forno =; o,
s.Lt .NJ i I'm GnS onoy tItoe III Eua
in front of the 9th Corps.
The skirmish firing started by our own
skirmish line at two different hours during
uno allol pa = ~ Ino diSno "ae Dy !ne On
press Slugl Vi uen. Traht anu was ln.ehq a.
GU W Iui Unol uGnl1l aiIAo oio ononiy anu ~
W., wa' ooni+ tha,N SIoo ;T tba;r t nc
No. ,.Iore +rnors +aino,s ~ Inot
1--WE WIZ ~ Sloopo sahon tii iUio 10y
~ IL 800 Unu ~ I nf go %o
, 10 In0 orsS51,t Vi '0n si"n o
WI,Ie MAKING necessary nrenarations
for the nursnit of |, 90 surgeon CIark came
in from tha fiaId boSnitaI and infornnad mo
ed me that futile had given his watch and
money to a soldier helonging IN ona of The
Pennsylvania regiments heTonoing 70 omr
division. that this soldier had inmned into
the ditch onlv a second or two habind me
ond that in ymaling the RIM +hrniirI,a t ti,o
ditch the Pennsylvania soldier was sImnSt
within roach of INV coat fail ,rnt+Ia no;d
ba avnectad IN coo both of ne shot 49,
and he thouoht if little less than y r,iuacIs
that we made onr esrane Tnttle rndIaot
ed the doctor tO ask me To do what I oould
fo find the money and watch When ! toid
Dr. Clark that 7 would trv ba Sai ! Oo ~
thouoht Won knew better than tho+ 'io ua
advised me IN Stav where I wac ond ,uo,,nd
nm hv SAVING s.Thera 10 no sensn i i, V sini
man rnnninG after what if wouid he ~ im 1uon
sible TO find.>, Tuttle was NV friend and
= determined to do what / could 70 fird ' his
monev for him took the tirSt pen ,,lu iao
nia REGIMENT that I came 70 ond y yi,"
thrmGh If without tinding tba loSt I'M n,onour
had no better success With the SeconS by
when T reached the last comnanU "f H tho
aSt regiment / told tha storv 81 {ho " I viit
money to the ist SERGEANT and osl,e eiG if T h
knew ANYTHING of Snch ' cir %1noo q, ne
He renIied thai he did NOT and I 3~r,'od
aIvav feelinG that done What co,, Tuilt for
nv friend had taken onIW a cte,' nv + rUo
When the Sergeant called 70 mo '' ~ ~ sto wv
mnment He then tnrned his "i st+o az sup
soldier inst cnmin@ orr , moT III ~ ~
What was in search of The coIdia D ooiu
ed what the cirr,lmStancaS S Sortie IL ar" IN
case and when I fniShnd r "1r1 III ne the
events aS tbev occurrad he eaid "t sIs euo
vonr friend;S watch and None, y "A h n"o W
once gave them IN me- AZ retr ai1e nc ,t az
stems TO NV own reoiment feit Snro 90 M, my
80 - l. ~. 49,, ? =; IL ~ 0uAO 1ii'lo