Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-12-25
PRISON EXPERIENCES.


apiece. But as it was never much
more than half completed, the scheme
fell through and I am still poor as
ever. At the request of Mr.. Jacobs
| now give the thing away, to any
who have enough interest in it to
read it.
The 18th day Of June, 1864, after
many weary days of fighting and
marching in sunshine and rain,
through mud and dust and smoking
forests, with short rations, impure
drinking water and little sleep, found
the Army of the Potomac one mile
from the Welden railroad in front of
Petersburg. At the right oblique,
two miles away, lay the city, it's spires
plainly seen glistening in the sun,
while directly in our front lay the
Army of Northern Virginia with
bristling bayonets defantly challeng-
ing our further advance.
On the 18th general attack on the
enemy's lines was made, in which the
Vermont troops, however, being
held in reserve, took no part. An
officer made the remark to the New
York Tribune army correspondent
that it was the first time he ever knew
this brigade to be in reserve. About
5000 men were killed and wounded
and the enemy found to be in such
force and so strongly entrenched that
no further immediate attempt was
made to carry the lines by assault,
and from this day the seige of Peters
burg commenced, which ended with
its capture on the I'd of the following
April.
From the 18th to the 23d we lay
behind our breastworks, moved oc-
casionally from right to left and from
the rear to the front line, did picket
and vidette duty and watched the re-
suit of shot and shells as they were
passed back and forth from the two
opposing lines. Desultory firing was
kept up almost continually, and at
night we witnessed some fine displays
of Yankee and rebel fireworks. The
big mortar shells, as they came
whewing through the air on their
rain bow trips, with their fiery tail of
burning fuse streaming behind, some
times "lit'' uncomfortably near new
recruit and sent a cold chill down his
spinal column; but as whole they
were entertaining and did very little
harm.
The morning of the 23d dawned hot
and oppressive, but nothing in the
sky above or earth below or smoky
atmosphere between, or among or
around the troops or breastworks
gave warning that anything unusual
was to occur that day. Rollcall,
hardtack and coffee and guard mount
were being attended to as usual.
''But hush; hark! sound strikes like a
rising knel1;
Did ye hear it? No, twas but the bell
Of Pete tersburg, or mule team rumbIing over
the Jerusalem Plank Road.
On with the coffee pot, let hardtack be un-
confined;
No fight for us today, when youthful soldiers
meet
To chase the futtering fowl with flying feet,
And catch painting pig and hog or two
For real sunny southern barbecue.
But hark! that sound breaks in more near, |
We caught it's tones with Deaths prophetic |
ear;
Tis Mahone's division and Beattie's sharp
shooters we hear.''
Before noon Bea ttie's sharpshoOters
lad reached an unprotected p art of
he railroad and company of
oioDeers we're sent out to cut the
wires and tear up the track,
which they succeeded in doing for
'ome distance. Two hundred men of
he 18th regiment had been sent out
10 protect them and extend the
'kirmish line of a part of the 4th
which had been sent out
he day before. At o'clock Co.'S F,
and part of K of the 18th joined
orenoon to further strengthen the
inc. By the middle of the forenoon
he sharpshooters were driven in.
Capt. Beattie informing Capt. Stafford
ls he passed him that if she didn't
ret out of that he would catch HI"
We advanced into, through and out
N the other side of a piece of woods
nto an open field and deployed into
inc as skirmishers, expecting to ex-
end our line to the left and join the
me of the 4th regiment in the woods.
70 connection was made however,
i'll near night if at all, and no con-
ection with any other troops on our
light. In our front within shooting
istance were the rebel lines and a
onstant exchange Of shot was kept