Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1910-06-10

Cut on from friends, at Weldon Road,
BY foes were captured then
Were sent to sicken, starve and die
In filthy prison pen.
The year, that passed with tagging feet,
A hideous visage wore:
Two hundred died the other half
Might see their homes once more,
Now old and feeble men, whose brows
Deep lines of nguish bore.
To take the Nations Capital
Moves Early and his men;
The old Sixth Corps is sent in haste
To guard the town, and when
The willy foe attempts to strike,
To hurl him back again.
And now, behold the Nations Chief,
That man of iron will,
Whose aching bleeding, broken heart
Must bear a nations ill;
A nation rent by civil strife,
In deadly conflict still.
To greet the coming corps, we see
Him standing on the pier.
He asks, What troops are those aboard
The steamer, drawing near"
Reply is made, we listen, now
The Chieftans voice we hear.
A look OF disappointment on
| His brow is seen, as he
Declares, mo major generals are
OF interest to me,
It is the old Vermont Brigade
That came here to see"
The Valley of Virginia, where
The Shenandoah flows,
Where meadow land and hillside steep
Still blossom like the rose
Twas there, with General Sheridan
| Again they met their foes.
| At Charlestown, on the skirmish line,
Their work was bravely done;
| At Winchester where Early's troops
| Reiterated on the run;
| And Fishers Hill, where, at stroke,
The victory was won;
| On all those fields, as was their wont
| They fought like heroes brave,
But shall we blush for Cedar Greek
And that tempestuous wave
OF men, who ran at headlong speed,
Intent their lives to save1
We blush not for the old Sixth Corps
Nor for vermonts brigade.
They did not run, but foot by foot,
Dispute the progress, made
By foes, whose wild, exulting yell
Victorious hope betrayed.
And now they greet that rider bold,
Who on his Morgan steed,
Which justly shares his masters fame,
Returns his troops to lead.
Come on, we're going back I" he shouts /;
The word becomes the deed.
For back they go; their foeman turn;
Now up the vale they run;
They reach their camp at Cedar Greek
Before the day is done.
"Hurrah Hurrah for Sheridan %
The fight once lost, is won
Give honor to the foaming steed;
Give honor to the man;
i
Which fought while others ran;
And to Vermont's brave boys, who stood
Where only heroes can
The place, field near Petersburg;
The time, the break of day;
| The form, a mighty human wedge,
Which almost GREATNESS lay
And waited orders to advance;
The aim, to rend way;
To rend a way through double works,
And troops of valiant men.
A royal road to victory
They fain would open then;
A highway to the shrine of Peace,
New-come to earth again.
The edge of such wedge as this
Must needs be sharp as steel,
OF men Of iron nerve, with whom
Is safe nations veal;
Men who can die but not retreat
Nor know how towards feel.
And so the boys from old Vermont
The place of honor hold.
They hear the order, Forward, march" :;
The rest is quickly told;
They move in silence toward the works,
Those hardy veterans bold.
A sentry fires alarm is given;
And with deafening yell,
That reaches to the gates Of Heaven,
And shakes the doors of He'll,
They forward rush, like heroes tried,
Who know their duty we'll.
They see fearful line of fire
For half mile or more;
The shrieking messengers of death
Are heard behind, before;
But Duty calls with louder voice
Than rebel lannon's roar,
And as springtiine torrent, in
Their own Green Mountain State,
With force and fury, onward sweeps,
Which nothing can abate,
So moves the old Vermont Brigade,
Regardless of its fate.
A moment, the abatis strong
Is lightly swept aside
Another, now the ditch is filed;
And now the human tide
Climbs high embankments now descend
Atorrent swift and wide.
Twas the beginning of the end,
As every child should know;
That day the Southern Government
Received mortal blow;
The Old Vermont the knuckles formed
Which laid the monster low,