The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-10-16
Virginia Revisited After Thirty
Years.-.NO. 8.
BY @. p. PUTNAM. MONTPELIER, VT.


No equal area in America, if in the
world, ever absorbed 80 much human
blood as the quadrangle of which
FREDERICKSBURG
is the northeast corner, and whose sides
are about twenty-five miles east and
west and twenty miles north and south
The appellation dark and bloody
ground " was many years ago given to
Kentucky. Had it not been so given,
it might much more appropriately b.
applied to this quadrangle. Within ii
were fought the battles of Locust Grove
(Mine RUM, Wilderness, Cbancellors-
vile, Spottsylvania, and two at Freder-
icksburg, the latter among the bloodiesl
of the war. Spottsylvania, instead Of
being single battle, was series OF
daily battles from the 7th to the 21st of
May, 1864. During my recent visit
was enabled to explore only the battle
ground about Fredericksburg, and TO
that all that will be said in this paper
applies.
1t is necessary to give any detailed
description of the terrain, as it is in
delibly fixed in the memory of the old
soldier, and it has 90 often been de-
scribed in the histories Of the war that
the non military reader has sufficiently
clear idea of it. Looking at the gov
eminent map, one will see that the
Confederate lines are not continuous,
but that there are great gaps, particu
larry on their right. One naturally
wonders what was to prevent our forces
from pushing through those gaps and
taking the Confederates in front and
rear. That was Burnside's plan, 80 far
as he had any. The divisions of
Meade, Gibbon and Doubleday fought
heroically to accomplish it. Though
supported by other divisions, they
could make little Roadway, but in the
attempt lost about forty per cent of
their men. Standing upon the ground,
l found the mystery no mystery at all.
Nature had done more than the art of
man could do TO secure those points,
and my only wonder is that Meade sue
ceeded in wedging his division into the
Confederate line so far as he did.
There is another wide gap in the forti-
fed line, from Lees headquarters, at
the Howieson house, to where the ma
tional cemetery now is, near Marye's
hill. Midway between these points ia
Hazel Run, an Insignificant stream,
which man can almost leap over and
which of itself presented but slight
obstacle. Yet our forces utterly failed
to penetrate this gap. Why? From
the plain near the river, where our
forces formed, the ascent is gradual
and easy, through cultivated fields, un.
til strip of woods is reached in front
of the Howieson house and Lees hill,
where it is very abrupt. On The other
side of the ravine, up to the national
cemetery, the ascent is much more diff
cult. But the greatest obstacle was
the very deep Wooded gorge on each
side OF Hazel Run. A column passing
up this gorge would receive musketry
tre IN front and rear, while it's flank
would be swept by artillery. Even il
unassailed, 1t would be pretty hard
getting up stairs" and not shot could
be fired from the column with any
effect.
THE STONE WALL.
Still further to the rebel left, from
the national cemetery to the Orange
plank road, is Marye's hill and the ia
nous stone wall. Marye's hill is lof J
eminence, perfectly impregnable to AS
sault, if adequately manned, excep
from the still loftier heil hts in the rear
The stone wall is near the foot of lhi,
hill. A great misapprehension exist,
as to this stone wall. 1t is not like III
stone walls which intersect our field,
N ar the foot of Marye's hill, to avolt
going around its base, cut was mad,
for about half mile, some six fee
deep on the upper side and four feet OF
the lower. Stone walls were built OF
each side of he road to retain the earl
in place. This has been termed tn,
sunken road, and perhaps these word
best describe it. AS General Palf e,
says, at WAS better position TO
troops than the parapet of ordinsr,
field works affords, for, while it insure,