The History of Washington County in the Vermont historical gazetteer : including a county chapter and the local histories of the towns of Montpelier., Part 4

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 4

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WASHINGTON COUNTY.

' Boys, this is General Doubleday, our corps commander." He then said, substantially, as follows : "Men of Vermont ! the troops from your State have thus far in this war earned an enviable reputation. I under- stand that you are comparatively inexperi- enced in battle, but you are about to be led in by your Colonel. Much will be ex- pected of you, and I hope you will nobly uphold the honor of your State. To-day is the great day that determines whether Jeff. Davis or Abraham Lincoln controls this government. You will now follow your Colonel." I then led them in the di- rection indicated by him, at a double quick, and before reaching the crest or high land in our front, I left the regiment in charge of Major J. J, Boynton and Adjutant James S. Peck, and rode myself forward to find Gen. Hancock, and see in advance where my regiment could aid him most. As I came on top of the high ground or crest between the cemetery and Little Round Top, I met Gen. Hancock, who was vigorously rallying and encouraging his shattered ranks, many of whom were still fighting valiantly, to hold on and contest the ground inch by inch. I accosted him and told him my regiment was close at hand, and that Gen. Doubleday ordered me up to his assistance. He appeared much gratified, and said to me that the rebels had just taken a battery from him. He pointed out to me the direction in which they had gone with it, and asked me if I could retake it ? I replied to him that I thought I could. He said, " go in, then." By this time my regiment was coming up ; I took charge of them, and put them in position to deploy from column into line of. battle parallel to his main line, and in front of his somewhat disorganized troops. Gen. Hancock sat near me on his horse, and watched the movement nar- rowly. I gave the order to deploy, and rode in front of my companies to watch the movement and see that each company came promptly on to the line. This was under a sharp fire from the enemy, and my men were falling on all sides by this time. As I saw my last company come on the line,

I inclined towards the center of the regi- ment and gave the order to forward. Just as I did this my horse was shot dead un- der me, and fell, catching me by my right foot under him. The regiment for a mo- ment supposed I was killed, but the horse was rolled off from me by the men as they came up, who soon saw that I was not hurt, and they followed me as I went on foot. At this moment a body of rebel troops, probably a brigade, was deploying from the bushy ground to our left directly in front of us. This I did not see until my horse fell, when I got a view of them un- der the smoke and dust, as it was lifted. About that time we got a volley from them. I saw the situation was a critical one for us, and that promptness was our chance ; and I gave the order to charge upon them, thinking to surprise and overpower them before they reloaded. My men responded to the call most admirably. Before the rebels had time to reload or put themselves in an attitude of defence we were upon them. They threw down their arms and laid low, and we passed over them without much opposition. Here we witnessed one of many acts of treachery which the rebels exhibited at times. As we passed over them as they lay like yarded sheep, a rebel officer rose on his elbow and discharged his pistol at Major Boynton, the charge just brushing the Major's ear-locks. This piece of perfidy was instantly avenged by half a dozen of our men pinning the rebel to the earth with their bayonets. We passed on, and in about 30 rods overtook the detachment of rebel troops in charge of the captured guns, four in number, of the U. S. Regular Artillery. Captain Lonergan, of Co. A. of my regiment, (Burlington) and myself about simulta- neously, I think, came up with the guns overtaken. The rebels appeared very much surprised to see us, but after a flourish or two of sabres and a little em- phatic language they surrendered all the guns to us, and we passed them to the rear. All this time I think Gen. Hancock was watching our movements, and when my horse fell he was so near to me that

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when I got up and left the horse I heard him direct one of his men to keep guard over my saddle and straps on my horse. When afterward I came back the guard, saddle, and straps, were gone, but I after- wards found my saddle. Our men from whom the guns had been taken followed them up, took their guns, and returned with them to our lines. My regiment was now within about 50 rods, as I should judge, of the Emmetsburgh road; and I determined to push forward and gain that road, unless I met with formidable resist- ance, as I did not. I reached the road, my right resting at a small farm house, which I suppose is called the Pe' er Rogers house. Here we halted, and I directed Adjutant Peck to go back and apprise Gen. Hancock of our position, and get his or- ders. About this time Capt. Lonergan came to where I was, much excited, and informed me that the house above men- tioned was full of rebels. I immediately went with him to the house, and sure enough it was. I ordered them to throw out their arms and surrender, which they all did ; there were eighty-three of them, including officers. While this was going on, the rebel sharp-shooters and skirmish- ers were keeping up a sharp fire at my men, which they were returning, and at about this time they ran out two twelve pound brass field pieces at our left on the line of the road, and commenced to fire upon us. At this I directed the attention of two of my companies to them. They soon cleared the pieces of horses and men, and then charged upon them, capturing both of the guns, which we brought off. Adjutant Peck having returned with word from Gen. Hancock to keep my flanks well protected, and return when I had done what I thought I could. Seeing no more game in the bush, we retired to the Union lines, amid much cheering from the troops who had witnessed to some extent our op- erations. I have seen some account of this affair in which it is said that in this movement the 14th regiment led the ad- vance, followed by the 16th, and that af- terwards the 13th regiment came up. Now the truth is the 13th were in a position to

be first, having been in advance of the other regiments, and did lead. They were no doubt well in the fight before even Gen. Stannard knew of the movement, as I took my order for this advance from Gen. Dou- bleday, who had then not seen Gen. Stan- nard.

I do not wish to detract one jot from what any other regiment may have done at this or any other battle, but must not al- low my regiment to be misrepresented, either through ignorance or design."

F. V. RANDALL.

The brilliant achievements of our nine months' men, the 13th regiment under Colonel Randall at the battle of Gettys- burgh, from the magnitude and impor- tance of the battle, and the circumstance that such bravery was displayed by men for the first time under fire, deserves some- thing of detailed account. Our statement of the part taken in the 2d day's fight is in Col. Randall's own language. The 3d day's part, we collect from published 'ac- counts given at the time, from both rebel and union officers and correspondents on the field.

In the third and last day's struggle, for the victory in this greatest of modern bat- tles, our Regiment of thirteen months' men, never before under fire, did more than honor to the County and State-they proved to the world that the thinking bay- onet is immeasurably superior to that of any other ; that an educated citizen soldiery, fired by patriotism and a sense of duty, would stand fire of an enemy equal with vet- eran corps, provided they were well offi- cered, and for such disapproved the need of standing armies.

After the previous day's service, illustri- ous in the annals of war, as a dash made by inexperienced troops, they joined the 2d Vt. Brigade and slept upon their arms. Friday, the third day of this great battle, a simultaneous cannonade was opened upon our right and left at daybreak-Long- street commanding the batteries firing upon the left where was our Brigade, from an advantageous ridge he had gained in the afternoon of the previous day. Ewell commanded the right, which seems to

WASHINGTON COUNTY.

have been really the point selected for the chief attack in the morning upon our lines. The cannonade lasted only for a short time, when on the right one of the most obstinate and terrible infantry duels took place known in the history of fire-arms. Says an eye-witness, "for six hours-from 5 till II o'clock-the musketry rolled on those hill-sides in one incessant crash. For six hours, from other portions of our lines, we watched the white smoke-clouds curling up through the tree-tops and won- dered what the issue would be. At II, Geary had driven the enemy back over the breastwork into the valley below." In the left centre, before Longstreet's batteries, was the 2d Vermont Brigade, General Stannard in command, in which was our 13th Regiment engaged in their first bat- tle-for although they had made such a brilliant dash the day before, it could hard- ly be considered of the nature of a pitched battle, and had not proved that they would stand a withering fire or a charge. They were in General Doubleday's Division. Col. Randall tells me that Gen. Double- day very skeptically inquired " Colonel, will your men stand fire?" " I think they will," Col. Randall replied. We will in- troduce the language of another who was present on the field, to speak for our 13th Regiment. " The troops of Gen. Double- day's Division were disposed in three par- allel lines of battle. There were two rea- sons for this show of strength : first, the comparatively level and open nature of he ground at that point invited assault ; sec- ond, our Division and Corps Generals dis- trusted the ability of the nine months troops to withstand a charge. It was owned they did well the night before, when their prompt presence apparently saved the day in that part of the field, but it was known-and it was about all that was known about them in the Army of the Potomac-that they were nine months men, their term of service just expiring, and that they had had no previous experience under fire. They were expected to break at the first earnest onset of the enemy, and a double line of battle was placed behind them,-quite a needless precaution it was

found." Col. Randall's Regiment of nine months men was advanced a little forward and to the left of the main line of the 2d Corps, where they threw up a few rails for protection, and lay low, the brow of the hill also affording a slight protection from the shells. A few men were wounded here in the short morning cannonade, which was followed by a long lull in the storm of battle at this point, meanwhile the vortex of the storm clung to the right, where it raged till II o'clock, as we have seen. A little picket skirmishing was all there was in the vicinity of our 13th until the grand assault was heralded by the al- most simultaneous burst of 150 guns from the enemy in front. This gave a little op- portunity to strengthen the breastwork of rails, wnich was done some two or three feet with rails scattered upon the ground, which was considerable protection to the men when flat upon the ground, and proved much needed before night.

The silence for two hours had been al- most oppressive along the whole left, al- though the din of arms roared terribly enough away to the right. At ten min- utes before 10 o'clock the signal gun was fired, the top of the low ridge in front al- most instantly opened with a storm of shell, round shot and spherical case-even grape thickening the angry tempest. All this against that breastwork of rails, the cannonade ceased on the rebel side soon after 3 o'clock, the last two hours being rapid firing from this battery of 150 guns, concentrated from every angle upon our left centre, when followed the grand charge. It was not thought possible by the rebel generals that there could be any Union line left to resist a charge after such a can- nonade. Now commenced to move in close compact lines, in the finest of order, 17,000 of the picked troops of the Confed- eracy. On they came at common time, closing up as fast as our cannon opened a gap with that fearful hurtle of iron hail. The assaulting force had a front of about 1,000 yards moving in double column, with supports in the rear extending beyond either flank in front. The advance was across a broad stretch of open meadow,

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something over a mile in length, and vary- ing from a half mile to nearly a mile in width between the confronting ridges, where thus far the battle had raged.

The long gray confederate lines, pre- ceded by their skirmishers, have reached the low ground, half the distance between the confronting armies, when the Vermont regiments which are in advance of the main line are ordered up into line to re- ceive the enemy. The enemy's right at first seemed aiming directly upon our 13th and 14th regiments, and they were prepar- ing to give them a volley, to be followed by a charge, when an unexpected movement of the enemy offered the opportunity of a bril- liant display of military tactics and prowess, which our Colonels and commanding offi- cers did not fail to take advantage of. As the 13th and 14th rose to deliver their fire, the rebel force in front changed direction by its flank, and marched to the north across their front some 60 rods, when again fronting it, came in upon the line of the 2d Corps to the right of these regiments. Upon the commencement of this move- ment, the two regiments opened fire upon them by battalion, and continued it by file at about 60 rods with great effect.

At the time the rebel charging lines fronted and advanced, after this side move- ment, they swung partly to the rear and right, where they seemed to become massed, presenting from the position of the Vermont Brigade a column massed by regiments. Thus in position they, with a wild yell, heard above the din of our play- ing batteries, came in on the charge. The shock of the charge was truly terrible, and it was resisted with a terrible obstinacy. They reach our lines, and the rebel Gen. Armistead is shot down with a hand on one of our guns. They even pierce the line in the terrible struggle, but the op- portunity for a flanking movement is dis- covered by the commanding officers of the Vermont Brigade, a movement already participated in to a certain extent by Col. Randall, of the 13th, and the 13th and 16th were ordered out upon the enemies' flank, Col. Randall already well under way.

They marched some 60 rods parallel to the main line, then changing front, their line swung out at nearly right angles upon the right of the rebel column, still res- olutely struggling to force our lines. As we have said, the 13th led, which marched by the right flank, and approached very close upon the enemies' flank, when they changed front forward on the first com- pany, under a scattering fire from the en- emies' flank. There was but an instant of time before a rapid fire ran down the line of the regiment, at scarcely more than half pistol range. The effect was instantaneous and destructive beyond calculation. The rebel lines withered away as stubble be- fore the flame. To help complete the havoc and scoop up the prisoners, the 16th were soon seen taking up a position upon the 13th's left. Some 15 rounds were fired by Col. Randall's regiment at this short range, raking the enemy through and through by this fire upon his flank. The 16th also gave him about half as many rounds, every bullet probably taking effect, and many passing through two or three rebel bodies. The rebels broke and fled in all directions, the larger portion of their centre and right dropping their arms and rushing into our lines, surrendering them- selves as prisoners. Such was the result of that great charge made by the flower of Southern chivalry (and braver men never went to death), and such the brilliant rec- ord made by a regiment of men never under fire before-men who nine months before were in their shops, behind their counters, and in their farmers' suits, en- gaged in the pursuits of peace. And Wash- ington County has the honor of sending the commanding officer of this regiment as well as two companies in it, whose singu- lar rare fortune it was to have such an op- portunity to distinguish themselves, and whose singularly good fortune it was to so brilliantly fill a record so illustrious by im- proving its opportunity. The loss of the 13th was 8 killed, 89 wounded, and 26 missing. Men need not "doubt if the warp of gold " be yet in the stock descended from the compatriots of Ethan Allen.

The Richmond Sentinel says of the

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flanking attack, " As Kemper's Brigade moved up it swung around to the left, and was exposed to the front and flanking fire of the Federals, which was very fatal." Another account in the same paper says : "A flanking party of the enemy, marching in column by regiments, was thrown out from the enemy's left on our extreme right, and by an enfilading fire forced the retirement of our troops." The Richmond Enquirer gives a similar account, to which we may add the testimony of the correspondent of the London Times, who details the move- ments of the flanking column and speaks of Gen. Longstreet's order sent by Major Latrobe relating thereto, which was never received, as Latrobe's horse was shot un- der him, all making the issue of the battle turn on this point. It was one of the most memorable battles in history, equalling the carnage of Waterloo and surpassing all others of this generation until we come to the great battles in the campaign of the Franco-Prussian war. The aggregate cas- ualties of the armies fell not much short of 8,000 killed and 35,500 wounded. 5000 rebel dead were buried on or near the field. 7,600 wounded were left in our hands, and 13,621 prisoners were taken. It is not a little singular that our own County seems by the good fortunes of the hour, and the bravery and talent shown by its men, none of them ever under fire be- fore, except their Colonel, to have supplied the pivotal points on two days of this great battle's issue.

Paul Dillingham, of Waterbury, filled the office of Chief Magistracy of the State for more than half the period of the war. He served both the County and State with signal ability. Earnest in suppressing the rebellion, he was prompt to act in filling the several quotas called for by the Gov- ernment. Zealous in the Union cause, by word and act, he encouraged his fellow citizens to withhold no sacrifice, while he also gave two sons to the country's service, one of whom remains with its dead.

NATURAL HISTORY.

The County abounds in water-privileges and numerous cold springs, which add

greatly to the value of its lands for dairy- ing purposes, as well as its excellent quality of grass. The Winooski, the largest riv- er in the State, rises in the towns of Wal- den and Peacham, in Caledonia Co., its two head branches uniting in Marshfield, from whence it flows through the whole width of this County and thence through Chit- tenden Co. into Lake Champlain. It drains an area of about 1,000 square miles. Af- ter the junction of the two head branches in Marshfield, we have for its tributaries : Kingsbury's Branch, coming in on the west side of Plainfield Village, Stevens' Branch, coming in 2 miles above Mont- pelier village, from Barre, the Worcester Branch, uniting at Montpelier village, Dog River I mile below, Mad River I mile be- low Middlesex village, and Waterbury River, 2 miles below Waterbury village. There are many brooks beside, in the County, of considerable size and several ponds of varying sizes. Of ponds, the town of Woodbury alone has no less than 9, and the water-power of the County is greatly increased by its ponds which are natural reservoirs.

The geological formation of the County is for the most part talcose slate ; mica, hornblend and limestone are found in con- siderable quantities ; argillaceous slate in the southern towns, felspar and quartz, with mica, in the eastern ; steatite and iron ore in the town of Warren. Stalactite and asbestos have also been found in smaller quantities in different localities, as well as gold.

Camel's Hump, which lies upon the. western border of the County, is only a few feet below the Chin, the highest peak in the Green Mountain range, a bold land- mark seen in nearly all parts of the County. Bald Mountain, rising from the spur to the east of Mad River, is also a noticeable peak nearly in the corner of the town lines of Waitsfield and Northfield. A spur or range broken off from the Hog-Backs in Middlesex, at what is called the "Nar- rows." The Winooski seems to have channeled a gateway of a few feet in width down some 80 or 90 feet in the rock, leav- ing abrupt and precipitous sides crowned

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with overhanging pines. Before this cut there must have been a lake of some miles in length, extending up the river and some of its tributaries above. The Marshfield Falls are also noticeable, where the main branch of the Winooski is said to fall 500 feet in 30 rods.

Benjamin's Falls, near the outlet of Berlin Pond, which are exceedingly pic- turesque and beautiful, have become a place of frequent resort.

The talc, slate, mica and limestone, mixed and pulverized, are the best and among the most durable of soils. The in- tervale on Dog, Mad and Winooski Rivers is very fine, though in much of the length of these streams the valleys are narrow. Scarcely inferior to the meadow lands along the rivers are many of the hill farms. Pasturage is even better here, and the hay of better quality, if falling off a little in quantity. The soil is excellent also for corn and oats in the valleys, and besides well adapted to wheat-growing on the up- lands. As a dairy County it has few equals.

In 1841, there was a severe tornado in the towns of Fayston and Waitsfield. It commenced on the heights of the land in the middle of the town of Fayston, and had a S. E. direction, spending its force against the sides of a mountain in the town of Waitsfield, where it leveled some 20 or 30 acres of heavy woodland in a body. As it moved down from the highlands into the valley of Mill Brook, the scene of the storm was said by those who observed from the hill range above the cloud, to be · sublime beyond description. One rolling sea of fire with perpetual thunders, crashed and roared as it swept through, as it seemed almost at their very feet. A more general tornado visited the County in 1866, which had a N. E. course, doing much damage in nearly all the towns. The gust that did most of the damage did not last more than a minute or a minute and a half, yet barns were carried from their found- ations. with cattle, horses, and all to be mixed in one common ruin ; houses were unroofed, chimneys blown down, wood- lands leveled, and all movable things put in motion. Some of our towns had forty

or fifty barns destroyed; one or two val- uable horses were killed, and several head of horned cattle. A few persons were se- riously injured, though we do not know of any one being killed. Some of the barns were among the very best in the County, valued at two or three thousand dollars. The County has been visited by a number of freshets since its organization, the most notable of which was in 1830, which oc- casioned the memorable slide upon the eastern slope of the Green Mountains, and by which the County lost most of its bridges and a large share of its mills ; sev- eral lives were lost. In that of 1869, nearly as destructive, the little village of Plainfield suffered to the amount of $20,000. Half of Montpelier village was under water, sev- eral streets in Northfield, and there was a general destruction of bridges and mills throughout the County ; also railroad trains were delayed for days.

Deer and the black bear were found very plenty in the first of the settlement, and occasionally the American monsal, or moose. . The bear still contests the rights of civilization, rather too successfully for our sheep pastures at times. Fish, also, particularly that favorite, the speckled or brook trout, abounded in our streams. This county is no doubt among the best localities of the world for trout raising. The spruce partridge and wood-pigeon were considerably hunted for game in former times, and partridge is. yet sought by the sportsman with some success. The American panther, or catamount, which figured in our first coat of arms, was oc- casionally seen, one of which had a bloody fray with a bear just out the precincts of Montpelier village, near the sand-bottom bridge, if we credit the story of Joel Frizzle, an old trapper, who claims to have been an eye witness, and wolves were quite numerous. The Hon. Daniel Baldwin when a lad was chased by a pack while traveling the road on Dog River between Northfield and Montpelier one night after dark, and only saved himself by the dex- terity with which he handled a fire-brand.

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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 4

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