Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-11-03

BY Prof 6slAnd W. kAndOn Of Bordsn-
town. N. j.. whose brother. Corporal 70
bina Lapdon. Was . member Of Company
A. and died IN Libby prison early In the
war
Upon arrival At Gettysburg the ver-
mont cavalrymsn hsid a mssting and
elected DR.. P. O. NJ Ndson Of Boston.
Mass, surgeon Of the reGiment, chair
man. and Seymour II. Wood Of Company
L. ct. Adams, secretary. and among
other items Of business, voted that zach
member Of the regiment present should
make O written report. 10 Be read BY the
secretary at the next regimsntAi reunion.
The party then proceeded TO the position
held by the LIST Vermont cavalry at the
left Of Round Top on tho sra Of July,
1855. and carefully went over tho ground
covered by the regiment at that time.
Although the territory Ia densely wooded,
and the rocks and stone walls are there
now as then, the comrndes easily traced
the route taken in that charge.
On the morning Of October u tho dele
cation met Col. John p. Nicholson. chair.
man. and Major Richardson. member Of
the Gettysburg National Park commits
sion. and Colonel Cope, engineer. on the
neld. and discussed the matter OF q suit
able site for the bronss statue 70 b
erected later In honor OF the LIST Vermont
cavalry and Of Major0ensrai william
Weiis. who LED the desperate charge On
the Ind Of July. 1913 The route OF the
regiment was again carefully travsrssd
With the number Of the consuaission and
the sste selected was upon . large boulder
on Confederate avenue near the bridge
over Plum crsak, and Within 4 few feet
Of whore shs regiment crossed this creek
on that sventfui DAY. Afesr the ste WAS
selected Colonel Nicholson told tho party
that the Communication would direct that .
road b cut through the woods. and kept
open. from the spot whore the Vermont
cavalry monument stands. % this site.
This was . surprise TO the vermonters.
who were deeply touched At this thought
ful courtesy On he part Of the commits
sioners. as II means that the monument
can be seen not only from the avenue
on Round Top. but also from the boulder
where the seatus will rest.
At ttAs poant Lieut.. p. c. J. Cheney
offered praysr. his hand resting upon the
boulder. and the vsrmonters and men,
bers Of ths oornm1ssion standing near him.
II was q most impressive scene. and one
which wsN never be forgotten BY those
present.
The commissioners were thoroughly IN
formed with regard to the gaiiantry and
desperate valor Of the Vermont Cavalry
Regiment at Gettysburg. ana also knew
from that valuable and authentic book,
"RegimentAl Losses in the American Civil
War" published by Col. William F. Fox
In 1889, that the Flrst Vermont Cavalry
had participated in some 10 battles and
skirmishes. and that out OF q total en-
rollment OF 2,1es men. IA were killed ana
died Of wounds 15e In confederate prisons.
and Ia died Of disease and accident; also
that the regiment was one Of the 400 hght-
Ing regiments In tho Union army, to
which the Second. Third, Fourth. Fifth,
Sixth. Tenth. Eleventh and Seventeenth
Vermont Infantry regimen also be-
ionged. The commissioner knew further
more that on the third day OF the battle
Of Gettysburg General Fitzpatrick COM
mitted tho serious error Of ordering
General Farnsworth to charge Hoods
division, I,onsstreets corps Of confederate
infantry who held n strong position sur
rounded by stone walls and massive
boulders Farnsworth's men, led by tho
First Vermont Cavalry. leaping their
horses over Plain Run and intervening
walls and fences made this gallant attack,
and out Of the two battaiiions engaged, q,
men, lost u killed. q wounded and q
missing.
The commissioners, knowing that the
Vermont infantry had done splendid ser
voe At 0stsysbusg under Major General
Stannard. and that Vermont had placed
~ hat
upon IL State monument there. believed
that At sssns future time this common
wealth would psrpstvAts the memory Of
ia cavslry regiment ~ placing . statue
Of It, distinguished leader. Major General
Wells. upon this historic AslA, History
relates the vaior Of the six hundred at
Bsiaiiavs in the Csamsan War. end how
In obsdtsnoe to wrong order they
charged down the valley Of death into
tho Russian batteries. Al Gettysburg the
First Vermont Cavalry charged into
valley and up the mountain side and over
stone walls and through creeks. under FIRE
Of four confederate batteries Of twenty
four guns. and into the midst Of a rebel
division Of infantry, and the day will
come when history will class this charge
with that Of Balakiava and others Of like
nature, When the charge at Gettysburg
was ordered. Lieut.. p. c. J. Chsney's
watch told the dime Of n minutes past
Ave o'clock p. M. July 3. 1888. file was
wounded during the charge, tho bullet
striking In the small Of his back one and
one-half inches from the spine above the
hip below the ribs and entered his watch
in the pocket. cutting an inch hole ten
inches through his body. The watch was
stopped At q minutes past Ave. With the
bullet which went through Lieutenant
Cheney's body It may be seen In the
rooms Of the Vermont Historical society
at the State House. Montpelier
The commissioners questioned Surgeon
Edison very closely about the death OF
General Farnsworth. because It had been
stated from rebel sources that he had
killed himself rather than be captured.
DR.. Edison. who found the body informed
| the commissioners that four Enfield r1as
bullets hah passed through General
Farnsworth's body. and ono through his
groin. which would prove without doubt
that he met death bravely At the hands
| Of the enemy
The Vsrmonters went over the ontirs
Gettysburg battlefield and were greatly
pleased at the great work done by the
National Park commission. and with the
oeautiful monuments. especially with
those which our own Green Mountain
State had erected to the valor OF her
| sons.
FOR detailed report Of the wonderful
vaior OF the Vermont cavalry regiment
curing the charge on the afternoon OF