Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-09-09
FIRST VERMONT AT FRONT
HAVE BEEN DOING GREAT WORK
AT MANASSAS.
Marched 1oLa Miles in Three Hours
Over impossible Roads Tuesday
Morning-Private Toomey's Work
Prevents Provision Train Capture.

! prevents FFONISiOn ITd'H SdPtuIo'
The First Vermont regiment in
command of Col. j. Gray Estey left
Brattleboro Saturday afternoon on it's
trip south after two days in camp on
! the fair grounds. II arrived at Man.
assas, Va, about midnight Sunday
and has since been playing the game
of war as a part Of the fourth bril-
gade second division of the Brown
army in command of Gen. Bell.
During the stay of the Vermont
troops in Brattleboro their camp was
visited by hundreds of spectators, an
especially large crowd being present
at the dress parade which took place
at $3.50 last Friday afternoon and
showed the regiment to excellent ad-
vantage. Saturday morning was de-
voted to a general regimental inspec-
ton by Adjutant General w. II. Cid
more of Fairlee. At about 1880
O'Clock the command to break camp
was given and from then until the
departure every member of the regi-
ment was busy. The troops marched
to the depot at about 2:30 o'clock es-
corted by the First Regiment band.
All of the companies looked business
like in their serviceable khaki uni
forms and the Brattleboro boys were
applauded all along the line.
ing excellent work in the manoeuvres
and several dispatches to the metro
politan newspapers have spoken of
the good service of the Green Noun
tain boys The following despatch to
the Reformer will give some idea of
what the war game is like.
Second Camp, Thoroughfare, Va,
Sept. S.-The first battalion of the
First Vermont, companies E, F, II and
|, which composes a part OF Gen.
Smiths brigade, double timed from
Antioch to Thoroughfare. distance
of 2ia miles, in 90 minutes Wednes-
iay. re-enforcing the firing line and
turning the tide in favor of Gen.
Bells Brown army The First YER
mont Col. Estey commanding. left
Camp No q Thoroughfare, at a. m.
Tuesday morning reaching position
at the right of the line of battle at
a. m. after march of 10h miles over
roads considered impossible. The
Vermonters, with the right resting on
a little run near Bleacher house, with
stood repeated attacks of the Fifth
United states infantry in command of
Major Glenn, two regular batteries
and two troops of cavalry. The Ninth
Massachusetts was called to re-en-
force the Vermonters on the firing
line and kept shooting at a stone wall
long after the enemy had been driven
back Waste of ammunition was
stopped by the umpire who came
along and asked the commander OF
the Ninth Massachusetts what he was
firing at. After the hostilities closed
for the day the First Vermont biv-
ouacked for the night on the firing
line.
Marching was begun Wednesday
I ta1n Il nd
seven miles away, was reached at 5 a.
m. There the Vermont regiment was
held in reserve, A company acting as
color company. Gen. Grants Blues
were driven back from the center OF
Gen. Bells line at Haymarket by the
timely arrival of the first battalion,
First Vermont, while the New Jersey
regiment turned back the heavy at
tack of the 14th New York The UNI
pire's decision on this skirmish was
reserved although universally admit
ted to be in favor of the Brown army.
Two days rations sent out in wag-
ons under command of Capt. Burn
ham, regimental quartermaster, only
escaped capture on their return by the
scout work of Private Toomey, Com
pany |, who discovered the Blue out
posts in time for the provision train
to make it's escape. The First Ver-
mont goes to Wellington saturday TO
take part in the review, entraining
for home at a. m. Monday, Sept. II.
Members of Company I all well with
the exception of sore feet and ground
oak poisoning. The Brattleboro COM
pany did especially good work in cap
turing six Blue outposts, foillng
scheme designed to capture First
Vermont's advance guard and regi-
mental staff. Water is scarce ana
poor: ''moonshine' plenty and worse;
heat and dust fearful.
George E. Mosher.