Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-04-21
THE OLD VERMONT BRIGADE.

An IneorrIslble Noisy Set Of Rasoals-
Best Brigade In the Army Of the Poto-
mae-oen. McMahon's Famous Tribute.
tBy one who did not belong to It, and
who was never in ermont-Gen. M T.
McMahon.-Reprinted by request.1
They were honest farmers turned vag-
abonds. They were simply countrymen
changed into heroes. They were quiet
townsmen that had become rovers. They
stole ancient horses and bony cows on
the march. They pillaged moderately in
other things. They swept the diaries,
and stripped the orchard for miles where
they Travelled. They chased rabbits when
they went into camp after long marches,
and they yelled like wild Indians when
neighboring camps were silent through
fatigue. They were illdisciplined and
familiar with their officers. They swagger-
ed in a COOL impudent way. and looked
down with a patronizing Yankee GOODNESS
upon all regiments that were better drill
ed, and upon that part of the army gem
orally that did not belong to the YER
mont brigade. They were strangely
proud, not of themselves individually but
of the brigade collectively, for they knew
perfectly well that they were the best
fighters in the known world. They were
long of limb and could out-march the
army They were individually self-reliant
and skillful in the use of arms, and they
honestly believed that the Vermont bril-
gade could not be beaten by all the COM
bined armies of the rebellion.
They were veterans in fighting qualities
almost from their first skirmish. This
was at Lees Mills. They crossed a mar
row dam under a hot fire, made the at
tack they were instructed to make and
came back wading deep in the water with
a steadiness that surprised the army.
They were an incorrigible, irregular,
noisy set of rascals. They were much
sworn at during their four years of SER
vice, yet they were at all times pet
brigade. There were but two things they
could do-march and fight; and these they
did in a manner peculiarly their own.
They had a long, slow swinging stride on
the march which distanced everything
that followed them. They had quiet,
attentive. earnest, individual way Of fight
that made them terrific in battle. Each
man knew that his neighbor in the ranks
was not going to run away, and he knew
also that he himself intended to remain
where he was. Accordingly none Of the
attention of the line was directed from
the important duty of loading or firing
rapidly and carefully When moving in
to action and while hotly engaged they
made queer, quaint jokes and enjoyed
them greatly. They crowed like cocks
they ba-ed like sheep, they neighed like
nOrSeS, Jney DeuoWeu like DullS, they
barked like dogs, and they counterfeitteC
with excellent effect the indescribabl'
music of the mule. When, perchance
they held a picket line in the forest 4
seemed as if Noah's ark had gone t.
pieces there.
In every engagement in which this bri
gade took part it was complimented TO
gallant conduct. One of the most re
marlIable of its performances, however
has never appeared in print, nor has i
been noticed in the reports. After tn
battle of Gettysburg, when Lees army wa
in the vicinity of Hagarstown and tn
Antietam, the Vermont brigade was de
ployed as a skirmish line covering
front of nearly three miles. The enem,
were in force in front near Beaver Creek
The Sixth Corp was held in readiness fl
rear of the skirmish line, anticipating
general engagement. The enemy hai
evidently determined to attack. At las
his line Of battle came forward. TIL
batteries opened at once, and the skirm
ishers delivered their fires Our troop
were on the alert and stood watching 70
the skirmishers to come in and waitin