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Adjutant and Inspector General Reports
1865 Report
Appendix BCorrespondence, Circulars, &c.
VI. St. Albans raid.
State of Vermont,
Executive Chamber, St. Albans, Oct. 19, 1864.Lieut. Col. R. C. Benton will at once proceed to Burlington and thence, with such arms and ammunition as are necessary will proceed to repel rebel raid now in progress. He is authorized to organize such force as may be necessary north of Burlington, and will take command of all forces north of that point, reporting to Col. Redfield Proctor, at Burlington, from time to time.
By order of the Governor,
PETER T. WASHBURN,
Adjt. & Ins. General.Montpelier, Vt., Oct. 19, 1864.
Col. Redfield Proctor, Burlington, Vt.
Organize and arm two companies of one hundred men each in Burlington to-night. Send two hundred muskets with equipments and eight thousand rounds of ammunition to this place first train; keep eight hundred in Burlington, and send one thousand to Col. Benton.
P. T. WASHBURN,
Adjt. & Ins. Gen.Deliver immediately.
Montpelier, Vt., Oct. 19, 1864.
Lt. Col. Benton, St. Albans, Vt.:
Organize and arm two companies from citizens, one at St. Albans and the other at such point as you judge advisable. Detail guard for railroad bridge across lake and keep hem on duty until further orders. Station some force at Swanton.
By order of the Governor,
PETER T. WASHBURN,
Adjt. & Ins. General.Montpelier, Vt., Oct. 19, 1864.
Lt. Col. R. C. Benton, St. Albans, Vt.:
The following telegram from Gen. Dix to Provost Marshal at Burlington received:--
"Send all the available force you have to St. Albans, in pursuit of the marauders who came from Canada this morning. Put a discreet officer in command, and if they cannot be found this side of the line pursue them into Canada, if necessary, and destroy them."
(Signed,)JOHN A. DIX, Maj. Gen.
Communicate this telegram to Capt. Conger and Col Jewett by special messenger at once.
P. T. WASHBURN,
Adjt. & Ins. Gen.Montpelier, Vt., Oct. 19, 1864.
Lt. Col. R. C. Benton, St. Albans, Vt.:
Major Austine will be in St. Albans in the morning with additional force. In carrying out your instructions co-operate with him. Organized companies at such points as you deem advisable.
By order of the Governor, PETER T. WASHBURN, Adjt. & Ins. General.
Montpelier, Vt., Oct. 20, 1864.
Lt. Col. R. C. Benton, St. Albans, Vt.:
Organize companies as directed.Station them so as to prevent any renewal of raid. Confer with Major Austine as to movements i Canada. Destroy the raiders if possible. Let Capt. conger know Gen. Dix's despatch if he can be reached. Let every precaution be taken along frontier of Franklin County to intercept any similar movement until Legislature can act.
P. T. WASHBURN,
Adjt. and Ins. GeneralMontpelier, Vt., Oct. 19, 1864.
Hon. Portus Baxter, Derby Line, Vt.
A party of raiders from Canada have been in St. Albans this afternoon, killing and wounding citizens, and robing banks. You are exposed at your place. Organize immediately a company of one hundred men and arm them as well as you can, and have them ready for arrival of Col. Wm. W. Grout. If telegram to Col. Grout has not reached him, send special messenger to him at once. He will take command in Orleans County.
By order of the Governor,
PETER T. WASHBURN,
Adjt. and Ins. General.Montpelier, Vt., Oct. 19, 1864.
Col. Wm. W. Grout, Barton, Vt.
Lieut. Col. W. W. Grout will immediately proceed to take such measures as may be necessary to organize and arm such forces as may be necessary to protect the banks at Irasburgh and Derby Line from a rebel raid now being made in Vermont, and is hereby authorized to take command of all forces which he may raise. He will report to this office as often as practicable.
By order of the Governor,
PETER T. WASHBURN,
Adjt. and Ins. General.Montpelier, Vt., Oct. 19, 1864.
Col. Wm. W. Grout, Derby Line, Vt.
Have requested Hon. Portus Baxter to raise company at Derby Line in advance of your arrival. Take charge of it, and of all forces in Orleans County. Cause company to be organized at Irasburgh. Arm them as well as you can, and telegraph at once what additional arms you need. Keep me advised on all your movements.
By order of the Governor,
PETER T. WASHBURN,
Adjt. and Ins. General.Montpelier, Vt., Oct. 20, 1864.
Gen. Alonzo Jackman, Norwich, Vt.
Proceed with your infantry force, without Artillery, by first train, to Derby Line, Vt., and report to Col. Grout, who has been placed in command in Orleans County. If Col. Grout is not there, assume command at that point until he arrives. Take such precautionary measures to obtain information and resist attack as you deem advisable, and if necessary, organize any additional force from citizens. If Col. Grout is there, act in harmony with him, and in such a way as to prevent any renewal of attack on the frontier of Orleans County. If you find company organized at Derby Line, assume command of all forces until Col. Grout arrives. As you pass through Barton, inquire as to movements of Col. Grout. Keep me advised of all your movements, by telegraph.
By order of the Governor,
PETER T. WASHBURN,
Adjt. and Ins. General.[NOTE.--On the seventh of December Col. Proctor and Lieut. Col. Benton were relieved at their own request, and Brig. Gen. John L. Barstow, commanding First Brigade Vermont Militia, assumed command of all provisional forces raised in the north western part of the State. The following orders were issued by him.]
General Orders,
No. 5,Headquarters Provisional Forces,
St. Albans, Vt., Dec. 7, 1864.In accordance with orders from the Adjutant General of the State, the undersigned assumes command of the Provisional Forces organized in the counties of Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Washington, Chittenden and Addison. Col. R. Proctor and Lieut. Col. R. C. Benton are at their own request relieved from duty. All orders heretofore issued by the above named officers are continued in force.
Capt. A. H. Keith is appointed Acting Assistant Adjutant General, with headquarters at St. Albans, and will be obeyed and respected accordingly. TO him all reports called for by existing orders, and all official communications, will be addressed.
Capt. John W. Newton, of the St. Albans cavalry company, is the senior cavalry officer. Col. A. B. Jewett of Swanton, and Capt. Louis McD. Smith of St. Albans, are the senior infantry officers. They will be obeyed and respected accordingly.
It is supposed that there may be a tendency to relaxation of vigilance on the part of the companies during the transition from Provisional to Militia organization. This should be strictly and carefully guarded against. Commanding officers are specially and earnestly requested to give this matter their constant attention, and spare no effort to keep their respective forces effective and vigilant, and their arms, accoutrements and ammunition, in the best possible condition.
J. L. BARSTOW
Brig. Gen. V. M. Com'g.General Order,
No. 6,
Headquarters Provisional Forces,
St. Albans, Vt., Jan. 10, 1865.
By order of His Excellency the Governor, the Provisional Infantry Forces are to be disbanded on the 20th inst.
Commanding officers will, therefore, on that day, or before, if the arms have been distributed to the militia companies of their districts, collect and pack in as neat a manner as possible, all the arms and accoutrements distributed to their commands, ready for transportation whenever the Quartermaster General shall call for them, marking distinctly on each box its contents.
By order of
J. L. BARSTOW,
Brigadier General V. M. Commanding.
A. H. KEITH,
Capt. and A. A. Gen.