"December 18. To-day our brigade was reviewed by Gen. Stoughton, and would have been a proud, as well as an imposing sight, to any Vermonter to witness the parade of five thousand Green Mountain Boys, headed by the brigade band and five drums corps. We hear that McClellan has assumed command of the army, -- if so, I am afraid the war will never end." ~ J. C. Williams, Corporal, Co. B, 14th Regiment, Life in Camp, 51 (1864).
"We hear all sorts of rumors in regard to Fridricsburg. one day Burnside is all cut to pieces & retreating, the next, Seigle (spelt wrong I guess by the looks) has gone down with his forces & is 15 miles beyond the city & driving the enemy before him. There is one report that does not change (i.e.) Burnside has lost a great many men. I suppose our old Brigade is there. We could hear the canonading when we were at Bull Run. We hear to day that McClellan is in command again. I for one am glad." ~ Joseph Spafford, 1st Lieutenant, Company E, Sixteenth Regiment, Letter, December 18 1862, UVM
Meanwhile, back at Bull Run:
"Dec 18. ...The Rebel Black-Horse Cavalry took eleven of our pickets at Bull Run Bridge. They were dressed in our style and rode into them singing and whistling. When they had got in completely around us they fired and cried out to them to surrender, which they did without any resistance. Five out of sixteen escaped on foot." ~ Diary of Oliver A. Browne, Co. K, 15th Regiment.
"We hear all sorts of rumors in regard to Fridricsburg. one day Burnside is all cut to pieces & retreating, the next, Seigle (spelt wrong I guess by the looks) has gone down with his forces & is 15 miles beyond the city & driving the enemy before him. There is one report that does not change (i.e.) Burnside has lost a great many men. I suppose our old Brigade is there. We could hear the canonading when we were at Bull Run. We hear to day that McClellan is in command again. I for one am glad." ~ Joseph Spafford, 1st Lieutenant, Company E, Sixteenth Regiment, Letter, December 18 1862, UVM
Meanwhile, back at Bull Run:
"Dec 18. ...The Rebel Black-Horse Cavalry took eleven of our pickets at Bull Run Bridge. They were dressed in our style and rode into them singing and whistling. When they had got in completely around us they fired and cried out to them to surrender, which they did without any resistance. Five out of sixteen escaped on foot." ~ Diary of Oliver A. Browne, Co. K, 15th Regiment.
No comments:
Post a Comment