Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-07-25
The First Bull Run---A Memorable
Anniversary.

]
wears ago last Sunday, the first battle of
/ Bull Run was fought. It was the first
I pitched battle Of the civil War. At
Manassas, less than thirty miles from
Washington, confederate army # TWEEN
1 ty thousand mon under General Beaurc-
within supporting distance was a confed-
crate army of twelve thousand mon, which
reinforced Reauregard during the battle.
/ From Washington or the 18TH OF July
marched General Mcdowell with the Iarg-
est army ever collected mp to that time.
on the American ointment. numbering
nearly thirty thousand men, and the OPP
posing armies net in the forenoon of the
2lst The Second Vermont Regiment. Cot.
Whiting. the first of the three years re;i-
ments sent by Vermont to the front had
its first BAPTISM of blood. It was n regf-
nent which from first tc last had nearly
two thousand men GSlN in It's ranks, and
took part with The highest credit in twenty
eight battles, and lost about a thousand
men in killed ana wound d, $50 killed. 6lS
wounded. In July 1851 it was brigade i
with the Third, Fourth and Fifth Regi-
ments under Col. O. O. Howard of the
Third Maine. 1t was towards the close
of the battle, and after the day was prao-
tically lost for Mcdowell. though the Con-
federates did not know that they had
gained the day, that Gen. IIeintzlenan,
commanding the division. ordered How
ards brigade forward to hold the enerny
in check while the rest of the army was
withdrawn. As the Second Vermont NOV
ed under fire shell exploding in it's
ranks Killed Corporal Benjamin of Com
pany c, and shattered the right arm of
Sergeant L. A. Woodbury. of COMPANY II.
l his was the first life lost in action and
the first sleeve empted by a rebel sho.
among the Vermont troops. i'm the vJlr.
The regiment WAS engaged for about an
hour and TIL all ether union organizations
in sight of its position had retired. and
then follow the rc'roating masses from
the field 1t is believed that the last fight
ing done that day, on the ground across
Ball Run, by any portion of McDowcll's
army VAS done hy the Second Vern.
men. killed, wounded and missing. A part
of the story of one of item, as narrated
many years after at the request of the
Boston journal, by Governor Woodbury.,
will interest cur readers:
We were the extreme right of our army.
We went on to the field by the right flank
marching at quick time but as We came
under a hotter fire our pace was quick
oncd to the double quick. We soon began
to descend the hill to the Warrenton pike.
beyond which the enemy who were firing
upon us were situated.
Heavy firing was heard and seen at the
Henry house to our left and front. a por-
tion at least Of the 18th Brooklyn was re-
firing to our left, and Ricketts, battery
WAS flying to the rear upon our right The
ldoa or retreat or Gcitat had not entered
our minds at that time. We thought, |
did, at least, that the retiring battery and
troops were going back after more ammu.
milton or to make room for fresh troops.
Nnllc marching at double quick down
the slope at trail arms. at the head of my
company which was next to the color
guard, / was hit in the right arm. near
the shoulder, by piece of II she'll viii h
4 passed across my breast and whirled
me around and ! fen to the ground In
the twinkllng of an eye | was TRANSFORMS
ed from an athlete to a pensioncr An
other piece from the same shell killed nv
file leader, Corporal Benjamin Of Company
G of frattlebOro. His life was the first
laid upon the altar of his country in bat
tie by Ncrmoutcr. ! was carried to the
rear by two comrades after my bleeding
was partly stopped, placed in an ambu-
lance, carried To- a little old coopers shOu
near the Sudlry church, placed upon a
board upon the ground and my arm
which was completely shattered and hang
ing together only by the skin and muscl, 5
was amputatcd by Surgeon Ballou of my
regiment remember Of seeing him
standing over me as | was being etherized
and ! did not see him nftcrward for =
years almost to "A day. when | met him
at the Van Ness House.
/ The regiment continued on and soon
be came closely engaged with the enemy
They fought CALAMITY and only retired
when percmptorily ordered to do so. They
re treated in good order ana formed a part
of the rear guard, such as there was. Tho
service of the regiment thereafter as q
part of the famous First Vermont Brigade
was brilliant and uncxc'lled by any other
organization I'm the Union army
Soon after | recovered my consciousness
! heard the cry. "rhc Slack Horse cav.
olrN Is coming ana soon a major %,
rebel cavalry came into the shop and
sternly informed US that we were prison.
CrS.
Nau started ont IN the morning conf
dent of victory ana that the war wOulC
be ended and the Union preserved anc
now the consciousness that our forces
were routed and flying to the rear, ant
that ! was q prisoner and MANNED for hi,
put me In an unhappy state Of mind from
/ which ! did not entirely recover until
left Dixie. My arm was laid upon a low
bench beside me in my fun view. 1t wal
pale and useless thcnand told one of thu
boys the next morning TO take 1t out anC
bury H. The shop was filled with ON
wounded, and it was interesting to not
the effects OF wounds upon different ind
viduals. recollect a zouave who wal
shot with musket ball when his mouth
was Wide open-presumabl when shout
ing. The ball did not hit his teeth or an!
part Of his mouth. II first struck th'
posterior pharynx and passed through hi
neck and out by the side OF his spinal col
umn In the rear. lie could not lie dowr
but slept some sitting. lie was very ligh
hearted and made a rapid recovery. Iiy
my side lay an apparently strong young
man who had simple flesh wound IL
one OF his forcarms. He was homescl
and dependent and inflammation set in
with accompanying fever, and he died ir
a few days. The weather was hot and
moist, and wounds DID notdo well. 1t was