The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-26
DIED sRAvELY IN BATTLE
Wonderful Record Of Vermont Sold
iers al Lees Mills

iers al Lees Mills
In the Boston Sunday Globe was an
article containing "reminiscences OF
the Civil war record of Vermont sold
iers. The article is as follows:
Fifty years ago today the people of
the North read in their newspapers
long accounts of an action at Lees
Mills, on the peninsula, in which the
Vermont boys" of Gen McClellan's
army had penetrated the enemy's line
of defence, and unsupported had made
a gallant fight for an hour in the face
of great odds
Nowhere in the war was greater
heroism shown than by these noun
tain youths from Vermont, and they
fell sacrifice, for the position they
won by their blood was not held. They
were obliged to fall back, because the
commanding generals orders did not
probe for breaking the enemy's line.
He was carrying on a siege at York
town on the other end of the line. An
assault elsewhere was not part of his
plan.
Lees Mills was the left of the feder-
al front on the peninsula, Yorktown,
being the right. The distance be-
tween was about five miles.
The Confederate line of defence, ex-
tending from the James River to the
York, was behind the Warwick river,
small but deep stream, from the
James to Lees Mills.
At Lees Mills the road from War
wick courthouse and Newport News
crossed the stream. About a mile up
stream from Lees Mills was a dam,
the first of five such by which the
Confederates had backed up the wat
ers of the Warwick to aid in their de
tense.
In the advance of the Army of the
Potomac Keyes' corps had marched
from Newport News by the Warwick
road, reaching Lees Mills April 5, had
found the enemy intrenched there and
all up the stream, toward Yorktown.
The corps therefore had encamped In
front of the enemy's lines, awaiting
Gen. McClellans orders.
The Warwick had proved an unex-
pected obstacle to Gen. Mcclellan. He
had no good maps of the peninsula
and did not know the river extended
nearly two-thirds the way across It,
His "Reminiscences Of the enemys
position convinced him that their po-
sitions should not be assaulted.
The country in which the opera
tions were going on was thus describ-
ed in a news letter of the day:
'As you follow the line of defense
across the peninsula from Yorktown
the forest deepens, the fiat country
becomes spotted with swamps, in
which the Warwick and other tributary
streams find their source and which
crooked and commingling naturally,
now swollen and. flooded by artificial
appliances, constitute network Of
defense for which the enemy might
well forsake Manassas. Through
these swamps and streams our troops
are ready to plunge, though it be in
the face OF a CALLING fire"
The writer of this made a correct
estimate of the spirit of the troops
Studying the Enemys Line
Near the center of the enemy's line
covering the first dam on the War
wick. were rifle pits and redoubt
in which three guns were mounted.
Only one of these guns commanded
the crossing of the stream.
On the Federals' side OF the stream
was a field, in which stood three
chimneys, reminders OF property
burned, known as "Garrow's Chin
neys" Hereabouts was encamped the
division of Gen. W. f. Smith, an able
officer of the Regular army, known as
Badly Smith Occupying advanced
positions in this division was a bri-
gade of Vermont troups commanded
by Brig. Gen. w. r. II. Brooks.
On the morning of April 16 II was
noted that the Confederates were very
active in their works, as II adding &c
the intrenchments Gen Mcclellan
had ordered Gen Smith to prevent
such work If possible, and the genera
ordered a reconnaissance by Brooks
brigade. Skirmishers found that IN,
gun on the angle of the works haC
been removed, and a wooden one pu
in its place. Also the rifle pits seem
ed deserted
Lieut.. r. NJ Noyes of the Bird Yer
mont aid to Gen. Brooks. now cross
ed the Warwick by wading, and ap
preached the enemy's works unobser
we'd, demonstrating that the stream
was fordable and confirming the re
ported absence of artillery in the ri
fle pits.
Gen. Mcclellan was at Gen Brooks
camp when the aid returned, abou
noon, and heard his report. He or
dered Smiths entire division brough
up to support Brooks. and granite,
the latter general permission to pusl
strong party across the stream It,
ascertain II the works had been sufic
iently denuded to enable a column {,
effect a Judgment"
Cross Stream Under Fire
At o'clock in the afternoon fou
companies Of the 3rd Vermont regi
ment, under Capt S. Il. Pingree wer,
ordered to cross the Warwick 4
heavy artillery fire was to cover them
The enemy was not taken unawarei
The 18th North Carolina Regiment
stationed at the rifle pits, still hat
men In front, though its main body
had fallen back TO work on the re
doubt in the rear. They opened q
sharp fire.
The Vermonters' advance was thus
described by a correspondent OF IN,
New York Tribune, who saw Il;