mitted that we had taken, and killed and wounded, the most of his brigade. The number of prisoners actually captured must have been over one thousand, but owing to the imperative order withdrawing the Second, Third, and Sixth Vermont, and Twenty-sixth New Jersey, only about four hundred were brought away, among whom were one brigadier-general, one colonel, commanding brigade, several lieutenant colonels, majors, and line officers.

"Too much praise cannot be awarded to the officers and men for their excellent conduct. They could not have done better. Vermont may well be proud of them all. The men did their duty, and the officers were there to direct and encourage. Not an officer failed to come to time. Not a man straggled from the ranks. And when a regiment moved, it did it with almost the precision of an ordinary drill. It would be impossible, and almost invidious, to particularize, but I cannot fail to speak in the highest terms of praise of Colonel Walbridge, Second Vermont, Colonel Seaver, Third Vermont, Colonel Stoughton, Fourth Vermont, Colonel Barney, Sixth, and Lieut. Colonel Lewis, of the Fifth Vermont. Nor can I fail to mention in the same strain, of gallant services performed by the officers of my staff, Captain A. Brown, Fourth Vermont Volunteers, Acting Assistant Inspector General; Lieutenant C. H. Forbes, Fifth Vermont Volunteers, Acting

Assistant Adjutant General; Lieutenant J. J. Bain, Second Vermont, and F. J. Butterfield, Sixth Vermont, Acting Aids-de-Camp, and Lieutenant Horace French, Third Vermont, Acting Provost Marshal, all of whom rendered the most efficient aid. They were everywhere in the thickest of the fight, wherever needed, faithfully delivering and carrying out my orders. This was also true of them at the battle of Fredericksburg.

"Lieutenant A. Austin, Fifth Vermont Volunteers, Acting Quartermaster of the Brigade, is also entitled to great credit for supplying the command with rations and other necessaries, and for safely keeping charge of the baggage of the brigade.

"Nor ought I to fail to speak of the gallant dead. Captain Ainsworth, of the Sixth Vermont, fell while gallantly leading on his men.

"The loss to the Vermont troops was, considering all the circumstances, very slight indeed. There were 17 killed, 118 wounded, and 44 missing, in all 179. The loss inflicted upon the enemy was probably five times that number. Let not the mothers, wives, and sisters of Vermont weep for the fallen. Their graves are on the fields of battle, while their spirits find 'congenial joys in the fields of the blessed.""

The "Vermont Brigade" was again engaged at Fredericksburg on the 5th of June, 1863. The fol

lowing is Colonel L. A. Grant's report to Adjutant General P. T. Washburn, dated the 6th:

"SIR: The Vermont Brigade has again crossed the Rappahannock at the old point, about one and a half miles below Fredericksburg. It is the first brigade across, and so far as my knowledge extends, it is the only one yet over.

"We left camp yesterday, soon after noon, and marched to the river, a distance of about five miles. The pontoons were on the ground, ready to be taken down the bank and thrown across the river. The rebels had constructed rifle-pits in front of, and commanding the point where the bridges were to be placed. These rifle-pits were occupied by rebel infantry. As soon as the artillery could be got into position, it opened a terrible fire upon the rifle-pits. It had but little effect, however, except to keep back reenforcements that were coming to the assistance of those already in the rifle-pits. But very few of those in the rifle-pits were injured by the artillery fire. They managed to keep up a galling musketry fire upon the engineers that attempted to construct the bridges. It was determined to drive the rebels from the rifle-pits. The Fifth Vermont, Lieut. Colonel Lewis, and Twenty sixth New Jersey, Lieut. Colonel Martindale, were ordered forward for that purpose. They rushed gal