The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-07-20

WHO was atyor in Neimont--Gep. NJ. ]
hchatos. --RspFiaisd BY request
They were honest farmers turred vae
Ahspds They ~efs simply oountyme
charged into tcros. They were qus
townsnea that had become rovers. Tho,
stole sneisni horse, sns bOny cows on u.
march. They swept The dsislef, snd strip
red the orchards fer miles where they trss
slsd. They chased rabbits when thu
went into camp after long mAfebes, an
they yelled Ike wild Indians when neigh
boring camps were silent through fatigue
They were Ili dlselplIaed ard familiar will
their tfiicers. They swsggcrtd 10 S cool
impodert way, and looked down with
pstTonlzlrg Ysnkee ooolneis upon 81 rgi
ments that were better chilled, and upoi
that part Of the srmy generally that dl'
no. belong TO the Vermont brigade. The,
were strangely proud not no. Of themselve
Individually, but Ri the brigade colleellyt
ly, for they knew perfectly we'll tha. thel
were the bes, lighters In the world. Thel
were long Of limb aud could out-msrch th'
army. They we're individually self.relian
and skIllful In the use Of arms, and they
honestly believed that the Vermont brigade
could not be beaten by all the combined
armies Of the rebellion.
They were veterans In fighting quslltie,
almost from their first skirmish. This wat
at Lees Mills. Tney crossed narrow dan
under hot fire, made the attack they were
instructed to make and came back wadinR
deep 10 the water with steadlaess that
surpli ised the army. They were an incor-
rislble, irregular. noisy set Of rascals.
They we're much sworn at during their four
years OF service vet they were at all times
a pet brigade. There were but two things
they could dc--march and fight; and these
they did In a manner peculiarly their own.
They had long, slow swinging stride on
the march which distarced everything that
followed them. They had quiet, atten-
tive, earnest, individual way Of fighting
that made them terrific In battle. Each
man knew that his neigbbor In the ranks
was not going to run away, and he knew
also that he himself intended to remain
where he was. Accord lpgy none Of the
attention OF the line was directed from the
important duty OF loading or firing rapidly
rad carefully. When moving into action
and while hotly engaged they made queer,
quaint jokes ard eIjoyed them greatly.
They crowed like cocks, they bs-ad like
sheep, they neighed like horses, they bel
lowed like bulls, they barked like dogs,
and they counterfeited with excellent ef-
feet the ndescrbable music OF the mule.
When, perchsnoe, they held picket line
n the forest II seemed as II Noah's ark had
gone 10 pieces there.
In every engagement In which'this brig
s.a~ 49, -. "a --->-,irannted for
gallant conduct. One Of the most remark
able Of its performances, however, has
never appeared in print, nor has 1t been
noticed 10 the reports. After the battle OF
Gettysbu z, when Lees army was In the
vicinity Of Hagarstown and the Antietam,
the Vermont brigade was deploytd as a
81 irmish line covering a front OF nearly
three miles. The enemy were In force In
front near Beaver Creek, The Sixth Corps
was held In readiness 10 rear Of the skir-
nish line, anticipating q general engaf
ment. The enemy had evidently determine
ed to attack. At last his line Of battle came
forward. The batteries opened at once,
and the tkirmlshers delivered their lires.
Our troops were on the alert and stood
watching for the skirmlshers to come in
and waiting to receive the coming assault
But the skirmishers would not come In and
when the fire died away 1t appeared that
the yermonters' thus deployed as Skin
nish lire had actually repulsed full line
OF attack. Twice aftcrward the enemy ad-
yapced to carry the position and we're each
time driven back by tti, perverse sklrmish
line. The vermonters, 1t Is true. were
strongly posted in the woods, and eieh
man fred from behind tree. But then,
everybody knows that the etiquette 10
such matters Ia for the skirmish lire to
come in as soon as they are satisfied the
enemy m sans business. Thes simple mind
ed patriots from the Green Mountains, how
ever, adopted rule Of their own ON this
cccasitn, and the enemy, disgusted Win
this stupiiity retired scross Beaver Creek
When the vermonters led the column
on a march thir quick movements had to
be regulated from corps to division head.
q tiers to avoid gaps In the column as II
followed thtm, Iis rspld or forced march
we're required It was common thing for
Sedgwiek to say, with quiet emile Put
the veimoniers at he head Of the column
today, aud keep everything well closed
US"
Alter the riots In New York when II was
found necessary to send troops to the city
to prevent r, currei ce Of the outbreak, the
Vermont brigade was especially named by
the war department for this duty. Withia
two hours from receiving the detpsrch the
command was en- route to the city. They
occupied the public iquares here for some
time and enjoyed themselves no. wisely
nor yet vlrtuously and returned to the
army Of the Potomac sadly demorallzed 10
eli but the two great essential qualitief, OF
nzhtlng ard marching. II Was fortunate
thing for the New York mob that II avoid.
ed conflict with the New Eualand troopsst
fhst time.
Upon the return Of the brigade TO The
field they quietly held on their Own routine
Of life and maintained TO the close OF the
war the splendid reputation they had won
., the very cutset.
There were many regiments equal TO the
Vernon, regiments 10 actual battle, and
scme, that, Ike the s.h New York volun-
teerr. not only tqualhd them 10 fighting