Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-11-26
Fou NTA1N PENS AT THE Cpr,.
PRESS STORE
he VERMONT BRYCADE .
FCNKSTOV-y

IN the National Tribune Col >,or-,
roy the editor. In his article with ref.
erence TO the advance Of the Army, ~
inc Po'ornac upon the Army OF NORTH
erh virginia, which was ratreatinr
toward the Potomac river after tbs
patt4e on Gettysburg. pays the follow.
ing tribute to the valor Of the cola
ermont Brigade" and the First vcr.
mont Cavalry:
Inc most brilliant achievement Of
'he operations at this stage was the
me showing made by the Vermont
Brigade. under Brig. Gen. I. A. Grant
az Funkstown. little south Of Ia.
serstown. This splendid brigade
"h'ch was one OF tho most notabl.
organizations OF the army, consisted
OF the second. third. fourth. fifth. and
SIXTH Vermont forming tho second
brigade OF Howe's second division OF
the sixth corps. In the maneuverins
Tor position around Funkstown the
whole Vermont brigade was deploved
IN the skirm,sh line extending over a
'front.' or TWO miles. and moving for.
ward rapidly. gained a crest Of much
Importance from which the Confede-.
ates thought II necessary to drive
Them An entire division was sent tq
do this. and advanced in line Of bat.
tic three different times being re.
pulsed each time by the steady. tellina
fire of the Vermonters. who took cover
wherever they could find II, and with
delioerate aim scourRed the advancing
line OF battle so severely as TO send I.
back each time in disorder. So secure
were these Yankees In the belief Of
their ab!lityL resist the attack that
they did not call for reinforcements.
and none were sent them Meade's
orders were strict against bringing on
a general engagement. Lee had felt
the position so important that he sent
up several batteries to aid in the at
tack but the Vermontcrs were as IN.
dismayed by the storm of shells a.
they had been by the advance of the
formidable battle line When the las,
attack recoiled in confusion the Ner.
monters Jumped up, and tauntinglv
called upon the gray soldiers to como
back, There's nothing here but some
Yankee militia" An attempt to flank
the sk'rmishers out of the position
was repulsed by Col. Walbridge with
the left wing Of the Second Vermont
At no point on the long line did the
skirmishers recede an inch. and among
the many IFS is that II the adVan-
tase gained by the Nermonters had
been followed up Lees army would
have been caught on the hip Whites
brigade. formerly Acknowledgement
eighth. ninth. tenth, eleventh and
nifty ninth Georgia--of Hoods dlvis-
lon, which suffered most IN this as
sault, was the one which the First
Vermont cavalry. under Gen. william
Wells. had charged at Gettysburg. II
was now made to pay dearly for all
The Nermonters who had fallen in its
'front.'. Tho Vermont brigade only lost
I6 killed and 50 wounded. while tho
enemy's loss was estimated by Gen,
:. A. Grant at not less than 600
The Nermonters Justly regard their
light OF Funkstown as probably the
brightest laurels gained by them In
he long service which brought them
'ommendation at every stage. Gen
raj Sedgwick.in his report. said con-
isely. but with striking force The
emarkable conduct OF the Vermont
brigade on this occasion deserves high
'raise.'