The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 21

Author: Hemenway, Abby Maria, 1828-1890
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Montpelier, Vt. : Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press
Number of Pages: 1064

USA > Vermont > Washington County > Montpelier > The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier. > Part 21

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Nobly did they fall, and in a righteous cause. Their country called, and in the great cause of humanity they died. And though their bones lie bleaching on a Southern soil, far away from friends and lome, yet ever fresh will be their mem- ries in the hearts of the living and the oved. And their records will remain from verlasting to everlasting, after this mon- ment dedicated to them shall have crum- led into dust.

To you, soldiers of this town, this monu- lent is dedicated ; make yourselves worthy f the honor. Your past is at least secure. lay you so conduct yourselves in the con- cts of life as to preserve unfaded those reaths of glory, which your deeds have so ›bly won.

Let generation after generation, as they ss from the cradle to the grave, be re- inded, as they look on this enduring onument, of the conflicts which inaug- ated the birth of our country, of the rdships and sacrifices by which it was rsued, and the serious part they may be led upon to perform for its further per- tuation.

Let it stand, then, an everlasting me- rial and teacher, and in the ceremonies this day let us invoke Almighty God to d it tenderly in the hollow of his hand, 1 consecrate it with his continual bless- s.

LIEUT. COLONEL KIMBALL.

BY J. C. JULIUS LANGBIEN, OF NEW YORK CITY, Civil Justice, and formerly Drummer of " R." C. 9th, N. Y. Vols. I Hawkins Zouaves.

ELIPHALET ADDISON KIMBALL was born June 3, 1822, in Pembroke, N. H. His mother survived his birth but II days. His father, soon after the death of his wife, removed to Cabot, Vt., where Addison's aunt and uncles resided, and it was here he and she, who mourns him as his de- voted widow, lived in childhood together until his 17th year, when he went to Con- cord, N. H., learned the printer's trade, returned to Vermont, and entered the office of the Woodstock Age, Charles G. East- man editor and owner, a man of education and accomplishments, poet and politician. Young Kimball in two years bought the Age, and became its editor and publisher, Mr. Eastman purchasing the Vermont Pat- riot, and removing to Montpelier. While editor of the Age the war with Mexico was agitated. The Age, a democratic paper, . took strong sides with the government, then under democratic control. The young editor wrote with instinctive force and character, and his editorials attracted at- tention. By a sort of magnetism, which he even then possessed, he soon gained influential friends. It was remarked there was no other young man 24 years of age who had more friends among the demo- cratic leaders, and that took the pride and interest in him they did. This influence and friendship secured him a captain's commission from President Polk in the 9th N. E. reg., Col. Ransom, from Wood- stock, commanding.

He gave up his paper and post-office to be a soldier-he was postmaster at Wood- stock, and the quartermaster office; he had been appointed by Gov. Slade, of Vermont, quartermaster of the 3d. Div. of the Vt. militia, Feb. 1, 1840. He sailed for Mexico, May 27, 1847. He was in the first engagements at Contreras and Churu- busco.

For his brave conduct in these engage- ments he received a brevet, and from that time was mentioned and thanked in gen-

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eral orders in nearly every engagement under Gen. Scott. Col. Ransom, the commander of the regiment, loved him as his son, and was as proud of him as one brave man can be of another. At Chepul- tepec, where Ransom fell, young Kimball with the Vermont boys, was the first to reach the Mexican flag on the heights, which he tore down quick as a flash, and surmounted with the stripes and stars.

Owing to some misunderstanding, the credit of this achievement was given to Major Seymour, of the regiment, whom it made so famous that he became the gov- ernor of Connecticut.

After the fight, he was given a picket body of men to open communications with the city of Vera Cruz, and to bring up sup- plies and recruits for the army. This duty having been satisfactorily performed, he was placed in command of the vessel, taking the troops home to Ft. Adams, R. I. He had also received his commis- sion as brevet major, Aug. 20, 1847, and his welcome home was an ovation from the time he left Fort Adams until he visited Cabot, the scene of his childhood days, where the oldest and most respected cit- izens, headed by Captain Perry, a soldier of the Vt. Militia, as their Grand Marshal, paraded and marched through the town in his honor, and in the evening a grand ban- quet was spread, where he was welcomed home by people of all shades of political and social life.

During all these stirring records of his life there was one who watched his every movement, and shared with him in his triumph and glory, and 2 years later, Nov. 1, 1849, Major Kimball was married at the church where they had both been bap- tized, to her in whose heart his memory will ever be green. At this time he was the Route Agent from Wells River to Boston. The following year the young couple came to New York City, where Major Kimball obtained a responsible po- sition on the New York Herald. He re- mained on the Herald until 1853, when he was appointed by President Pierce in the New York Custom House. It was while

there employed that the Southern rebellion broke out.

Apr. 16, 1861, Major Kimball wrote to Gov. Fairbanks, of Vermont, offering his services. The Governor was unable to give him a command. He next offered his ser- vices to the 9th New York Vols. (Haw- kins Zouaves) and was elected. This reg- iment was first ordered to Riker's Island, in the East river. While here the news agents of New York City presented to Major Kimball an elegant sword, and his friends of the Custom House a beautiful pair of epaulettes. The march of the " Ninth" down Broadway to the seat of war was one of the grandest ovations of the kind ever witnessed in the metropolis.

The Major, by his soldierly bearing, fame, bravery and experience in the Mex- ican War, inspired the men with confi- dence, and the regiment had perfectec itself in drill and discipline. They were looked upon with pride and affection by the city of New York. June 5, the reg iment left New York, embarked on the "Marion " and " George Peabody " ; Jun Io, it covered the rear of our retreatin. forces at Big Bethel. It was not other wise actively engaged with the enemy i this engagement. Aug. 4, '61, Major K was surprised by the following commun cation :

CAMP BUTLER, NEWPORT NEWS, Va., August 4, 1861.

Maj. E. A. Kimball, 9th Reg. N. Y. Vols

We, the undersigned officers of the I Regiment Vermont Volunteer Militia, b ing about to depart to our native State be mustered out of the service of the U. Government, do hereby tender to you o kindest regards, and hope ere long to s you in your appropriate position, t Commander of a Regiment of Gre Mountain Boys of such men as you ha heretofore led to victory on six differe battle-fields in support of the honor a flag of your country, and we ardently ( sire to see you again manfully fighting the head of a regiment, leading to victo honor and glory, the citizen soldiery your own much-loved State of Vermont

To command a regiment of Gre Mountain Boys was an ardent, long- desire of Major Kimball's. He was ond

Cal the he

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the first to offer his services to Governor Fairbanks. It was always a regret that tinged the remainder of his life that a com- mand had not been offered him from that State, for he felt that his services in Mexico entitled him to such an honor. A few days after the battle of Roanoke Island he wrote home to his wife :

We have had a big fight and a splendid victory. I have not time to tell you the particulars, except that I charged the bat- tery at the head of my New York boys. God bless them! we carried it. It was fully equal to anything I ever saw before. The prisoners say they fired at me time and time again, and that I must bear a charmed life. They did fire at me smartly. You will see the papers. I am well now, but can't go through many more as I did the other. I wish I could have made the same charge at the head of u Vermont Reg- iment, but it was not to be so.

A sore spot in his heart; he loved the Vermont boys. In another letter to his wife :

You may restassured if we have a chance, you will hear a good account of us. Our regiment numbers 950 men, and next to the " old Mexico 9th," is the best I ever saw.

Feb. 8, '62, the battle of Roanoke Island, where the regiment gained its firstfame, making the first decisive, successful bay- onet charge of the war. The battle had been raging for some time when the Third Brigade was sent for, and they began to advance, the "Ninth " taking the lead. The road was a long, narrow causeway, flanked by marsh and ditches, and at the head a three-gun battery had a range of the field. The left wing advanced, led by Kimball, sword in hand, cheering on his men. "Now is the time, and you are the men," cried Gen. Foster, and the Zouaves rushed forward, with their peculiar cry of " Zou! Zou! Zou!" their red caps and blue, baggy uniform filling the narrow causeway, the intrepid Kimball leading them. The thunder of the rebel guns was heard; quick as their flash every man prostrates himself upon his face ; the iron grape and cannister speed overhead, and lodge behind, scattering death among the other troops. The Zouaves mount the

parapet upon which their colors are plant- ed, and before the rebel gunners have time to reload, their soldiers are flying in terror to the rear. A prisoner after the battle said : "It was perfectly frightful to `witness the mad career in which the Zouaves advanced upon a work which, until that moment, every one in it had supposed to be impregnable."

From report of General Parke to General Burnside :

The delay in the progress of the troops through the swamp being so great, it was decided to change the course of the 9th N. Y. Regiment, and the order was sent to the Colonel to turn to the left, and charge the battery directly up the road, and the regiment, with a hearty yell and cheer, struck into the road, and made for the battery on the run. The order was given to charge the enemy with fixed bay- onets. This was done in gallant style, MAJOR KIMBALL taking the lead. The Major was very conspicuous during the movement, and I take great pleasure in commending him to your favorable notice.

Col. Hawkins in his report :

Upon reaching the battle-ground, I was ordered to outflank the enemy on their left, where they were in position behind an in- trenchment, mounting three guns. After leading the Ninth New York into a marsh, immediately in front of the enemy's work, amidst a heavy fire from them of grape and musketry, the order was given to charge the regiment with fixed bayonets. This was done in gallant style, MAJOR KIMBALL taking the lead.

A friend who served with the Major in Mexico writes to him :

My Dear Major :- Glory to God in the highest ! I have just been reading an ac- count of your gallant charge at the head of your boys on Roanoke Island. It fairly made the tears come into my eyes when I read of my old commander's offer to lead the charge, and doing it, too, as no one but he could do it. I would give ten years of my life to have been by your side. I glory in your glory, and would like to shake the hand of every boy of the 9th. God bless the number! The glorious news from Roanoke tells me that you have been doing to the flag of the rebels what you did to the Mexican flag in '47. I am not disappointed, for I knew that you would allow no one to get nearer the enemy than yourself.

Shortly after this battle, Lieut. Col.

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Betts, of the regiment, resigned, and Maj. Kimball was promoted to Lieut. Colonel, Feb. 14, 1862.

At the battle of South Mills, N. C., Ap. 9, '61, Col. Kimball displayed the same bravery, riding in the midst of the battle, at the head of the " Ninth," or- dered to charge the enemy. This battle, comparatively unheard of, was of the ut- most importance to the country, as it led to the evacuation of the city of Norfolk. The regiment marched 46 miles in 26 hours, in addition to battle. Col. Kim- ball, writing of it to his wife, says :

We have had a terrible fight, the hottest fire I was ever under. My horse was shot under me. We lost 73 men from our reg- iment. I escaped, as usual, unhurt.

At South Mountain, September 14, the ".Ninth " supported Clark's Battery of Regulars, the prelude to " Antietam." Major Judevine had command of the 89th N. Y. The enemy made several fierce charges upon this battery, which was gal- lantly supported by the "Ninth " under its gallant Colonel. After crossing Antie- tam Creek, in the face of a heavy fire by the enemy's sharp-shooters, the enemy took position under the brow of the steep heights, many of the enemy's shells strik- ing in front of them, and ricocheting over their heads before exploding, while others burst in the ranks, killing and wounding the brave boys. Kimball in command, impatiently waiting the order to advance, with sword in hand, stood upon the brow of the hill, the perfect picture of the hero.

The long-expected command came, the regiment rushed to the top of the hill, their leader in advance. Storm of shot and shell greeted them. Zou-Zou-Zou! their war-cry rang wildly above the bat- tle's din. Outstripping far the rest of their line in their daring charge, on they swept. Men falling at every step far back as could be seen, the track of the regiment strewn with the slain, the brave Kimball or- dered his bugler, Flocton, by his side, to blow the " Assembly of the Ninth." It was done ; the regiment rallied ; they encounter a stone wall ; with a wild cheer they sur- mount it. Here a terrific bayonet fight

takes place ; the Zouaves hold their own ; re-inforcements arrive ; the enemy retreat in wild confusion. Kimball writes to his beloved wife :

I am out of the hardest-fought battle I was ever in, and probably the hardest fought on this continent. I lost 221 out of 469 of my regiment which I took into action. I got a slight bruise. It was only by the mercy of Divine Providence that any of us escaped. We have fought a great battle, and won a great victory; but the cost has been immense.

I had my horse shot under me by a shell explosion. He is well, however.

For his meritorious conduct in this battle, Col. Kimball was especially men- tioned and thanked in the official report of Gen. Cox, commanding the 9th army corps.

At Fredericksburg, under General Burn- side, the regiment was engaged, Colonel Kimball in command. He writes :

Dear Lue :- The cannon are now firing so the very earth quakes ; near 400 of them in action. We get in line in a few min- utes. God knows how soon the line may be broken, and who comes out of to-day. To-day will undoubtedly decide the fate of our nation, and if I fall, God knows I shall do so loving my country. Already has commenced one of the greatest battles of the world. My horse is saddled and before my tent, and we shall attempt to cross the river in a few minutes. God bless you all ! ADDISON.

But with all his dash and intrepidity, many an officer and soldier in the ranks can bear witness that in battle he was cool and collected as on parade. He was no holiday soldier ; he dreaded the horrors of a battle-field, but personally knew no fear ; a braver man and truer soldier never lived. He was a patriot, and that patriotism was not born of the rebellion. He had a rev- erence for the old flag. He was often heard to say : It is the proudest flag that floats, and his right arm and his life were always ready in its defence.

He fought in other battles as heroically. When Col. Kimball commanded, he al- ways led his men into the battle ; and yet how reluctantly we come to that fatal night, Apr. 12, 1863. On that night the reg- iment lost its father and the nation one of

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its most gallant and heroic defenders-the hero of sixteen battles, in which he had been the " bravest of the brave," and that not by the sword, nor by the bayonet of the enemy ; the regiment could have borne that ; but he was mercilessly shot down in cold blood by an officer of the same army, most recreant deed !

By order from Gen. Dix, the regiment in command of Gen. Peck, left Pittsmouth for Suffolk the eve of the 12th, marching the distance of 30 miles, and coming in at I o'clock at night the 13th. The troops were ordered to be under arms at 3 o'clock. Col. Kimball was tired and worn out, but his soldierly instincts would not let him sleep until, an attack being expected, he had made inspection of the ground. While thus engaged, on foot, with no weapon but his sword, he encountered a body of horse- men, and soldier as he was, on his own camp-ground, he immediately ordered a halt, and demanded the countersign, plac- ing his hand at the same time upon the ilt of his sword, as if in the act of draw- ig it. The body of horsemen were Brig- aier General Michael Corcoran, who was o'cer of the day, and his staff, who, with- Ol a word of warning, drew a pistol from hiholster and fired, the ball striking the Conel in, and passing through, his neck. Fochardy and terrible blunder ! The new spread through camp like wild- fire. The regiment was frantic. They couldnot realize at first the lament- able, ad .to them costly, situation of affairs He, for whom they all thought no bullet as ever cast, shot down in cold blood. 'heir indignation knew no bounds, and th demanded immediate court- martial, ad refused to do duty, and threat- ened dirvengeance unless it was done. It was not ttil Gen. Getty promised imme- diate invitigation, they were restrained. There wano justification for the act. It was entirei dastardly. Col. Kimball was alone, withut his fire-arms, on foot ; Gen. Corcoran Ws accompanied by his staff, himself and 11 armed, on horseback. He could have hd Kimball arrested by one of his staff offices if he had deemed it proper, but Col. Kimall was only in the perform-

ance of a duty upon his own ground. The arrogant and hot Corcoran was piqued by having the countersign demanded of him. Napoleon was stopped by a sentinel. Washington was stopped by a sentinel ; Frederick the Great. Did any of these great commanders shoot their sentinel? Would it not have been more manly, more soldierly, in General Corcoran to have either given or demanded the countersign, than thus hastily to have shot that brave man and officer on his own ground. In any other country it would have been murder. But General Corcoran met his deserts. Not long afterwards, while out riding, he fell from his horse and broke his neck.

The body was embalmed, and under an escort detailed from the regiment, and a committee from the city authorities, was brought to New York, where it lay in state in the Governor's rooms at the City Hall, and thousands of people viewed the re- mains, and shed tears as they gazed upon the dead soldier, whose bravery in battle was upon the lips of all. Never was the dead admired more by his audience. Of what avail to him so ruthlessly slain? The flag draped his coffin, and the flag was covered with the most beautiful flowers ; depended from the sweetest flower-cluster, "We mourn our loss." The sword, belt and cap lay among the flowers. The dog which had followed its master through all his campaigns, lay crouched beneath, des- olate and inconsolable, faithful and true to the last.

Six war-worn Zouaves bore the coffin to the hearse ; the military escort presented arms ; a salvo of 21 guns was fired from a battery in the park; Battalion of police, under Capt. Mills ; First Regiment N. G. S. N. Y. (Cavalry) Lieut. Col. Minten, com- manding ; Sixty-ninth Regiment, Major Bagley, commanding; Seventy-first Reg- iment, Col. Trafford, commanding; with arms reversed ; volunteer officers ; with the faithful dog; the Col's. horse, led by his old, orderly Sergeant ; hearse drawn by six horses draped in mourning, flanked by the pall-bearers and Cols. Roome, Varain, Maidhoff, Ward, Mason, Lieut. Cols. Grant

Fet

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and Burke; widow and friends in car- riages ; officers of the Ist Division N. G. S. N. Y. Detachment of the original Hawkins Zouaves ; Detachment of the Second Bat- talion of Hawkins Zouaves ; the Mayor and Common Council in carriages ; citizens in carriages ; upon public and private build- ings flags at half-mast; the procession moved to Greenwood.

The regiment placed a handsome mon- ument over his grave. Colonel Kimball was 40 years of age, 10 mos. The Zouave Militia Regiment, formed of the surviving members of the regiment, named for him their first Co. in 1865 : "E. A. Kimball Post 100." A large and handsome paint- ing of him adorns the Post-room, and every May, the remnant of that old reg- iment go down to Greenwood to decorate his grave.

Nor shall your glory be forgot, While fame her record keeps ; Or honor points the hallowed spot Where valor proudly sleeps.

HISTORIAN'S NOTE.

THE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS OF THE WRITER.

At the regular March meeting, 1881, the selectmen were instructed to agree with some one, at a reasonable compensation, to write the history of Cabot. Accordingly the one whose name stands at the head of this paper was engaged for the task. To me it has been a very pleasant undertaking, although at times somewhat discouraging, on account of the difficulty in gathering statistics and information as closely as I wished ; but I have discharged the duties to the best of my ability, with what I had to do with, and I hope that my labors have not been wholly in vain, but that these pages may be of some interest to those who shall read them now, that we may see something of the sufferings and priva- tions that the first settlers endured to bring about the comforts with which we are sur- rounded ; and when another century shall have passed, and the historian shall take his pen to record its history, may he find as many noble and commendable acts in those upon the stage at the present time to record, as we have found in those who have preceded us in the past one hundred years.

Those who have most kindly assisted me in this labor are not only worthy of my thanks, but the unfeigned gratitude of the whole town, and the Editor who has undertaken, and carried so near to com- pletion, the noble work of gathering up the history of each town in the State, coming generations should rise up and call her blessed. J. M. F.

July, 1881.

CALAIS.

BY JAMES K. TOBEY AND EDWIN E. ROBINSON.

Location : In the north-easterly part of Washington Co .; bounded northerly by Woodbury, easterly by Marshfield, south- erly by East Montpelier, westerly by Wor- cester. The easterly line passes its entire length along the summit of the ridge, di- viding the valley of the Winooski in Marshfield from the territory drained by Kingsbury branch, and the westerly line about half a mile west of, and nearly par- allel with, the ridge dividing the waters q Kingsbury branch from those of Nort branch in Worcester. The northerly lir crosses the southern portion of two que large. ponds, that receive the streas, draining the southern and central portis of Woodbury about one-third of the susce of that town.

From Sabin pond, the most easter of these, Kingsbury branch flows soutrly, leaving the town near the S. E. (ner. Nelson pond, near the middle of thìorth line, discharges its waters southe into Wheelock pond, the largest in tor, and thence by the Center branch soutFly and easterly into Kingsbury branchsome 2 miles from the S. E. corner of e town. About a mile from the west line,nd near its middle, is Curtis pond, discirging its waters S. E. into the Cent branch. Near the center of the town, ad a mile and a half farther south, thisbranch re- ceives the waters from Bliss pnd, in the S. W. part of the town. All te ponds and streams above mentioned, ecept Center branch, received their nam's from early settlers in their vicinity. Nar the middle of the south line is Sodom pond, discharg-

CALAIS.

ing its waters into the Winooski near East Montpelier village. Kingsbury branch drains about four-fifths of the surface of the town; of the remainder about two- thirds is drained into North branch, and the rest into Sodom pond.

Among our highest points of land are Hersey and Robinson hills, in the western ridge near Worcester line. These are cleared to their summits, excellent pasture, and affording fine views of nearly the whole town, and eastward to the eastern range of the Green Mountains, with an occasional glimpse of the White Mountains beyond, while at the west the view includes nearly all of Worcester, and is bounded by the mountains in the western part of that town. The surface is quite broken, but there is very little land in town not available for farm purposes. The soil is generally a fertile loam, in places of a lighter charac- ter, inclining to sand. The underlying rock is slate and limestone, often inter- mixed, and furnishing enough small stones in the surface soil to constantly remind the ploughman that, having put his hand to the plough, he should not look back. At the same time the soil is comparatively free from "cobble stones" and boulders except in limited localities.

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The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 21

Author: Hemenway, Abby Maria, 1828-1890 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Montpelier, Vt. : Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press Number of Pages: 1064

Author: Hemenway, Abby Maria, 1828-1890
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Montpelier, Vt. : Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press
Number of Pages: 1064