The National tribune., 1902-01-09
THE VERMONT BRIGADE.
Capture of Gen. stoughson, and other Events
Occurring at Fairfax Station.

occurring AZ fa1T AK station.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The issue
of Dee. 26 contains 4 very amusing ac
count, under the heading, Capture of
Gen. StOughton by MOsby," by Comradc
Diton Phelps. Co. Il, 9th Pa. Reserves.
Allow me through your always very i'll
terestng columns to offer a few correc-
tions:
rrst-Gen. L. III. Stoughton was not
captured in February, but on the night OF
March 8.
Second-There had been no party or
ball at Fairfax Courthouse that night.
Third-There was no sutler shop at
Fairfax Station.
Fourth-There were no New Jersey
troops at or near Fairfax Station.
Fifth-Gen. Stoughton never had com
mand Of any New Jersey troops whatever,
but he was commander of the Second
Brigade composed of the 18th, 18th, 1ith,
10th and 10th Vt, about 1000 strong. ne
18th and 18th were doing picket duty
from the mouth of the Occoquan to Union
Mills, 10 miles away. The 14th, 18th and
10Th were in camp a mile from Fairfax
Station.
The capture of Gen. u. III. StoughtOn
was ccrEainly a most unfortunate affair,
and at the time supposed to be largely
the work of Miss Antoiia Ford, the hand
soonest and keenest woman in Virginia,
who held a Majors commission under
MOsby, and who was the guest of DIR.
Gunnell. at whose house Gen. Stoughton
had his headquarters. Miss Ford and
nine other citizens were arrested for com
plicity, sent to the Old Capitol Prison at
Washington, but released later, as nothing
could be proved against them. But it
ruined the General. He was exchanges
in n few months, returned to Vermont,
and died few years later.
The most extraordinary and ludicrOus
part of Comrade Pkelpss letter is, That
the Pennsylvania Reserves found the suit
Ter shop Mt the Station filled with officers.
eating, drinking and making merry, and
never offering to divide, etc, so the Re
serves cut the ropes, letting down the
tent on the officers, who rushed out armed
with hammers, hatchets, etc, and tried to
make fight, but were quickly diSpOs
sessed of these weapons and beat a hasty
retreat"
Now, really that is too fanciful and
funny. In the first place, the Vermont
troops were not allowed to congrcgate III
sutler shops, and were not allowed at the
Station at all except on duty. And GER
tainly it is not on record so far, that 81
company or squad of Vermont officers Tor
priyates either ever refused a fight or al
lowed their arms to be taken from them
and run off for home. There was lots OF
good commissary whisky at the Station.
Comment is unnecessary.
| must explain why my statements are
worthy of consideration. | was Provost
Marshal of the Second Vermont Brigade;
was located and had an office at Fairfax
Station two weeks before, and nearly
three weeks after the capture of Gen.
StOughtOn; was on duty every night and
day; had command of 100 men and two
officers detailed for guard duty every
morning from the three regiments in
camp.
There were many Commissary build
inGs, tents, etc, but no sutler. The sut
lers were at the three regiments, Il mile
away.
Yes, Gen. Stoughton's capture was
very sad occurrence and q serious loss to
the brigade. He was splendid man,
educated at West Point, handsome, the
most brilliant field officer have ever seen.
Writing of those old days brings to my
mind a little episode that occurred while
at the Station. Standing in my office door
one fine morning, | espied over near the
woods, 40 rods away, three enormous
stacks of canteens glistening in the sun
light and moving directly toward my Of
flee. What on earth was up, | could not
imagine. 1t was too late to retreat, so |
render. Canteens moved up to within one
rod of Office door, when from the inside
of one stack came the order, HALT Stack
CanteenS" Well, the old tin dishes rat
tied to the ground pretty lively, and made
pretty big pile, when there was revealed |
to my wondering eyes n Sergeant and two |
priyates of my old Co. ID, 18th Vt, on
picket 10 .miles away. Well said /; |
good morning, dear boys; but what are
you up here for, and what do you want?" |
The answer came simultaneously from all |
three, RUM But" said |, you won't |
be able to get any here; it is strictly |
against Gen. StoughtOn's orders" D
the orders; we want these canteenS filled |
with good whisky, or Fairfax Station goes |
up the Sp9ut." | knew there was no use |
the matter with three Yanks |
who meant business, so invited them in |
to breakfast, gave them an order on the |
COmmissary, who filled the canteens. and |
three or four hours later the brigade of |
cantcens started for camp, making, as far
as my observation extended, the worst |
lot Of zig-zag lines | ever saw, owing no |
doubt to the great weight of fluid extract |
contained therein.
Two miles from the Station was a
swamp-S0 rods wide, one foot of water
on top, Virginia mud the rest of the way
to Europe-over which we had built
very narrow corduroy bridge. Well. |
am never going to tell how those three
Yanks got over that corduroy, but have
heard they persisted in marching three
abreast, open order, and that the bridge
proved too narrow and so - But
visited the regiment n few days later and
found them all right and attending strict
ly to duty-W. ID. MUNsON, Lieutenant
Colonel, 18th VT. and Provost Marshal.
Second Vermont Brigade, WinoOski, VT.