On June 23, 1864, during the siege of Petersburg, a military engagement occurred that has been referred to as an "incredible blunder" and "melancholy affair" for the Vermont Brigade and for all of Vermont. The commander of the Vermont Brigade, Brigadier General Lewis A. Grant, told an audience after the war that this disaster "was his saddest experience of the war."

Descriptions of this engagement at the Weldon Railroad were given in the newspapers and military reports of the day. The Petersburg Express ran a detailed account the day following the battle. This was reprinted in the Richmond newspapers and across the South. Thus, on June 30, readers in North Carolina learned from The Wilmington Daily Journal:

The Petersburg Express gives the following account of the fight which took place on Thursday evening, the 23d inst. near the Weldon Railroad in the vicinity of the six-mile house [Globe Tavern]:

Gen. Mahone was speedily dispatched, at the head of a body of troops, to drive the rascals off. Upon approaching the spot about one hundred and fifty of Grant's horsemen were discovered displacing rails and removing sills. They fled precipitately upon the appearance of our forces; but it was soon ascertained that there was a heavy body of infantry in the woods, east of the tracts, massed for the purpose of supporting the cavalry.

Gen. Mahone threw forward a heavy line of skirmishers, engaged the attention of the blue coats, and then put into execution one of those flanking movements for which he has become somewhat noted during this campaign. About twilight Perry's brigade, now commanded by Gen. [Joseph] Finnegan [sic], succeeded in swinging around, and brought up in rear of the enemy. A volley or two in the rear put the enemy to thinking, and another volley or two brought about a very lively double-quick on their part. We succeeded in securing only four hundred and eighty-three of the invaders, the remainders running so swiftly that it was found impossible to overtake them.

The prisoners were marched into the city [Richmond] yesterday forenoon, about 10 o'clock, and turned over to Major [David B.] Bridgford, Gen. Lee's Provost Marshal. There were ten commissioned officers among the number, but none higher than the rank of colonel. These prisoners, in point of appearance or morals, are no improvement upon former installments. They seem to have been collected from every quarter of the globe, both civilized and uncivilized and elicited from a spectator in our vicinity, the remark, "That Grant had scraped all creation with a fine tooth comb for men to reinforce his depleted ranks."

In St. Johnsbury, Vermont, The Caledonian informed readers of the Northeast Kingdom:

The 6th corps moved toward the railroad Thursday morning, driving the enemy before them, and during the afternoon reported that they were in possession of the road, and arrangements were at once made to destroy it.

The next issue of the newspaper reported somewhat unemotionally:

The Vermont Troops are very unfortunate. The 4th regiment was nearly all captured [and also] three or four hundred of the 11th.

The Rutland Herald of June 29, 1864 under a more dramatic headline reading:

VERMONT BRIGADE --- HEAVY LOSSES,

reported:

Yesterday afternoon the Vermont brigade 6th corps, advanced upon the Weldon Railroad and obtained possession of it with little effort or loss, but were attacked immediately by an overwhelming rebel force, and repulsed before any support could reach them. Their loss was severe.

On July 6, Rutland readers were greeted with the headline:

DISASTER TO THE VERMONT BRIGADE

Reading on, they learned:

The total loss to the brigade is now stated to be 508 men. Of the Eleventh regiment, Major Fleming's battalion is reported nearly all taken prisoner. Major Fleming was with his battalion in support of a skirmish line, holding an advanced position, and the enemy broke through the line, both on his left and right, coming quite into the rear, rendering successful defense or escape impossible.

General Robert E. Lee, commanding the Army of Northern Virginia, informed the Confederate Secretary of War:

Yesterday the enemy made a demonstration with infantry upon the Weldon railroad, but before he had done much damage was driven back by General Mahone with a portion of his command. About 600 prisoners and 28 commissioned officers were taken, most of whom were captured by Perry's Florida Brigade%u2026

The Adjutant General of Vermont explained that:

On the 23d, Capt. Beattie [pronounced "Bee AT Tee"] of the Third Regiment, commanding about 90 picked men as sharpshooters, pushed on to the Weldon Railroad, and a portion of the pioneers of the Brigade went out to the road and commenced its destruction. The Fourth Regiment and Major Fleming's battalion of the Eleventh Regiment occupied an advanced position as skirmishers. The enemy attacked the party on the railroad and drove them back, pushing around to the left of the advanced line, and at the same time the picket line in front of the Third Division, which held the line next on the right, fell back and the enemy occupied in force the woods upon the right and closing in from both sides upon the rear of the Fourth Regiment and Maj. Fleming's battalion, leaving them no chance for escape. The men fought desperately to the last, hand to hand, and only surrendered when their ammunition had become exhausted and surrender was necessary.

Source: http://www.weldonrailroad.com/narrativeaccounts.html

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