Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-11-03

rade into tho flank OF pickctt's column.
The world can never forget 1t, but the
honors of the day must he divided with
Hancock, whose greatness ovcrshndows
all, and besides Stnnnnrd could not keep
on breaking pivotal charges in pivotal bat
ties of the war. Had he fallen there hc
would have been immortalizrd with RCy
nolds. AS 1t was hc lived to serve his
country by deeds not less important but
less picturesque, than the one which placed
him high in the tirmamcnt--a star out
shone by II more brilliant sun.
After Gettysburg the brigade of Yer
mont militia with which Stannard routed
Pickett's right flank went back home, and
Stannard resumed the command of his old
brigade. In tho campaign OF 1864 he led
division In the Eighteenth corps under
another celebrated Vermont warrior, Gen
eral Badly" Smith. Plenty of fighting,
with not much glory, fell To that command
during tho summer, and mt the close OF
September the corps, with n portion OF the
Tenth, received orders tn make n direct at-
tack on tho fortiticntions Of Richmond.
There was war crisis Mt hand and dcs-
perate work must needs be done. Shcri-
dan in the Shenandoah valley found his ar
mics confronted by Confcdcrntes sent out
from Lees lines at Richmond and Peters
burg and in order to mako 1t dangerous
for Lee thus To dctach the defenders of the
James river line Grant ordered his generals
to forco the fighting on those lines. Tho
Confederate occupation OF Petersburg FUR
nishcd ample defense for their capital on
the south and west sides of the James. On
tho east and north, however, the safety OF
Richmond depended on mud and muscle;
on tho carthworks extending from Drew
ry's bluff, seven miles below the city,
across TO the swamps, and the Chickahom-
iny bottoms, where Mcclellan had bcsicg-
cd it two years before, and thomcn behind
them. In the hope that these latter would
be few in number. and that tho works
could be carried by storm and the river
crossings seized before help could be
sent from Petersburg, the movement was
planned to begin during the night OF Sept.
SO. Two large Confederate batteries, or
forts, commanded the river roads leading
to Richmond. The most powerful named
Fort Harrison, crowned u hill and mount
ed 16 guns On the Union right of Fort
Harrison stood Fort Gilmcr, connected
with the former by infantry parapcts and
intrenched field artillery, and on the left
n similar system of dcfenscs extended from
Fort Harrison to the river and commanded
the bridges. Fort Harrison formed tho
key of tho line, and the announcement
was made at army headquarters that the
divisions of Stannard and Hickman oi
the Eighteenth corps had been selected by
the general in chief to storm 1t at nll haz
ards. Stannard was to lead in person
and had been named for the post by Grant
So much for his Gettysburg rcnown, for
although he had many daring deeds to hi:
credit in the matter of forlorn hopes, moth
ing counts but success or death. 1t wns
Stannard who had begged to be allowed Gt
march his regiment, tho Ninth Vermont
out of Harpcr's Ferry and charge the bat
teries which stonewnll Jackson planted OF
London Heights 10 shell the garrison. lIat
he been in command there instead of Milc
the most important and most diScrcdii
able Union surrender of the war woul,
never have taken place.
When ,itannard learned OF Grant sclcc
tion of him for the Fort Harrison column
he went to the general and said: II an
told that l must Lead this attack, and
have como IL protest in behalf of the poo
men of my r'risiun, who have led ever
assault of the Eighteenth corps from Coli
Harbor lln'il now and nlc fought down I
tho skeleton a. "a division. i have not
word to Say T. myself. / will go free
wherever Soli send me, but it Is inhinin
to givo my nirn more thnn their share q
these forlurn hopes. General Stannard
we must carr Fort Harrison, Grant T.,
piled iirmlr, and know you will do it.
1t called for higher courage 10 enter tina
protest than Ia charge the guns, but thcr
was no G,.im,;:ying Grants reason for III
choice, and STANDARD set TO work 10 nal;
tho enterprise success. The Givisio
crossed frnnl Bermuda Hundred 10 III
north bank of the .Jnmcs1n the nighttime
and before daylight was marching alon
the river road toward Richmond. nh
brigade of General Hiram Burnham, til