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1865 Report
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XXXIII. REPORT OF COLONEL AMASA S. TRACY, SECOND
REGIMENT VERMONT VOLUNTEERS.Middlebury, Vt., Sept. 17th, 1865.
General:--I have the honor to submit the following report of the marches and operations of the 2nd Regiment Vermont Volunteer Infantry, since the 2d day of April, 1865, to the time of the discharge of the regiment at Burlington, July 25th, 1865.
On the morning of the 3d of April, the regiment, in connection with the 6th Army Corps, moved across the South Side Railroad, in the direction of Burk's Station, on the Richmond and Danville Rail Road. Nothing of importance occurred until the 6th instant, when the 6th Corps came up with the enemy at a stream, or run, called Sailor Creek. The 2d Division of the Corps--to which the 2d Regiment belonged--was not engaged in the fight at this place. Being in the rear of the Corps, this Division was held in reserve, and to support the artillery engaged. THe battle was short, sharp and decisive, resulting in the total route (sic) of the enemy, and the capture of several thousands of prisoners.
About dark, (8 o'clock p.m.,) I received orders from headquarters, to take the 2d Vt. Regiment and one regiment from the 1st Brigade, 2d Division, and skirmish through a piece of thick woods to a "run," about two and a half miles in our front, in the direction of the enemy's retreat, and after getting possession of the ground to the stream, to remain there during the night.
I at once put the regiment in motion, and, as ordered, moved my skirmish line into and through the woods. On arriving at the Run, the enemy opened fire on us from the opposite side, which was at once returned by the men under my command with such effect as to completely drive the enemy from our front, leaving us in undisputed possession of the stream, where we remained until daylight the next morning.
It will be doing only justice to the brave men of my regiment to state here, that the last shot fired at the enemy by the 6th Corps, was fired by the 2d Vt. Regiment, in the above mentioned skirmish.
I learned afterwards, that the enemy lost several wounded in the skirmish, (one a staff officer of Gen. Lee's;) one man was found in the edge of a piece of wood the next morning, with his leg broken. But I am happy to state, that I had no casualties to report.
On the 7th we moved again in pursuit of the enemy, following them to and through Farmville, where we halted for the night. On the 8th, after marching about four miles, the Vermont Brigade was ordered back to Farmville, to guard the supplies that were coming up for the army. We remained here until the 10th inst., when we marched in the direction of Appomattox Court House, about ten miles. Learning that Lee had surrendered, and that the Corps was moving back, we halted for the night.
The next day, (April 11th,) we took up our line of march for Burk's Station, which lace we reached the afternoon of the 13th inst. We remained at this place until the 23d, when the 6th Corps commenced its march to Danville, where we arrived about two o'clock p.m. of the 27th, having marched a distance of one hundred and four miles in little more than four days.
THe 2d Regiment remained at Danville until the 18th day of May, when we moved by rail back to Richmond. We left Richmond on the 24th of May for Washington, passing through Fredericksburg. We arrived at Ball's Cross Roads, near Washington, June 2d. Here the regiment remained until it was mustered out of service, July 15th, 1865. On the 16th the regiment left Washington for Burlington, Vt. We arrived at Burlington the morning of the 19th, and on the 25th the regiment was mustered out and discharged.
The record of the 2d Vt. Regiment is too well known by both friends and enemies to need any praise in this report. The regiment was in the U. S. service four years, one month and six days.
Trusting that the above condensed report will meet your favor,
I am, General, your very ob't serv't,
A. S. TRACY,
Late Col. Com'nd'g 2d Vt. Vols.To Peter T. Washburn, Adjt. and Ins. General, State of Vermonter.