The National tribune., 1910-06-16

strong point of timber held by the enc
my a weak line of infantry which had
been saved from the wreck lay on the
ground firing feebly. while the enemy
crowded Overwhelmingly upon them.
This line must be relieved, and two reg
iments, the Sth VT. and the 18th Conn.
were ordered for the work. And as we
emerged from the border of the forest
upon the open ground we were greeted
with shower of lead and iron; but our
blood was up, no ore looked back and
we rushed into position, and that posi-
ton we held for more than three hours
under a continuous and heavy fire of
musketry. Many acts of personal dar-
ing occurred during that three hours
work. Many of the dead and wounded
of both armies lay close to us. and at
| imminent risk of their own lives our
men relieved the sufferings of both
| friend and foe.
About o'clock came the SuppreSsive
moment The Eighth Corps had gained
! a position on our right from which to
crush the enemy's left. A general ad-
vance was ordered. but the line in front
of US being considered too strong Col
Thomas had been ordered to hold his
position until the advance had been
made on the other side of US. Sudden
! ly on our right burst forth upon our
ears deafening, fierce yell. 1t continued
several moments, and at the same time
there burst upon our ears the sound of
the most continuous and terrible fire
of musketry 1 ever heard. Looking in
the direction of the sound, we saw the
Eighth Corps advancing. 1t was mag
nificent, but terrible to behold Moving
in quick time,-wit banners unfurled
and firing rapidly by file, they marched
upon our right and hurled their column
on the hidden foe. The carnage was
awful. Men could be seen falling and
/ DRAINING from hn GaIl
was strewn with the dead and wounded
| in their rear; but the line never fall
tered, never wavered.
AT the first sound Of the advance
| Col. Thomas was n the saddle. He was
ordered to remain where he was, but
he could stand it no longer. and, riding
in front of the colors, he shouted
Boys, remember Ethan Allen and old
| Vermont" And with his sword held
aloft ne headed his horse for the woods,
with the painting. yelling regiment close
at his heels. The 18th Conn. could not
remain behind. Their commander. Col
Peck, had been killed early in the ac-
tion, but Capt. Clark stepped into his
place. and as we moved past he shout
ed, THE Eighth is going to -, but
| they shan't go ahead of u.s." and on
| they came.
Nothing could stand against us, and
we swept over the work and into the
woods in advance of everything, driving
the enemy before us in the great confu-
sion. As We reached the farther edge
of the wood we found the Eighth Corps
hammering the enemy's left and his
line gradually swinging around dag
onally to ours. The rebels were still
hghting desperately, but were receiving
terrible punishment. At this time the
Sixth Corps came up on our left The
lConfederates were fighting the Eighth
CORDS from their left front and tho
Nineteenth and Sixth Corps from their
right and right flank. The situation
was most desperate. and most desper-
i ately were they struggling. But their
light was over. The Eighth Corps gall
lantiy charged the high ground on the
lenemy's left, his last stronghold.
From our position we could see the
lines of assault and hear the crash of
the combat and then the cheer of our
victorious men. Then to make the enc
! my's defeat complete and terrible our
cavalry, under Torbert and Custer, ap-
peared on the scene. A long stretch of
open ground slOped up to a crest to the
left and rear of the enemy. In solid
columns, with drawn sabers flashing in
the sun and without firing a shot down
from the crest In the left rear of the
ienemy came a brigade of troopers and
burst at gallop upon the surprised
enemy. 1t was like a thunderclap out
of clear sky. and the bolt struck home
The entire left of the enemy's line broke
in utter confusion and fed In perfect
rout. No man ever saw a more thrill
ing sight than that cavalry charge. The
work was done. Line after line moved
forward at run in pursuit of the flying
enemy. The enemy was driven before
us like flock of sheep. Thus ended
the battle.-J. S. Bean, 9Th VT.
| ReuniOn of the Snth PA