Vermont Brigade

The First Vermont Brigade, or "Old Brigade" was an infantry brigade with the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. It suffered the highest casualties of any brigade in the history of the United States Army, with some 1,172 killed in action. It served from 1861 to 1865 and was the only brigade not to be reorganised or broken up. The Second Vermont Brigade was formed of nine-month volunteers, who saw their largest action as a pivotal part of the repulse of Pickets Charge at Gettysburg, days before being sent home. The Vermont Brigades were unique in that they were made up entirely of men from one state. While Confederate armies encouraged brigades made entirely of men from one state, Union armies did not.

The 2nd Vermont Brigade was disbanded after the conclusion of the Gettsyburg campaign. The "Old Brigade" which had seen participated in several skirmishes after its inception into the Army Of The Potomac in 1862. The brigade also saw minor roles in the battles of Williamsburg, Savage Station, Antietam, Fredericksburg adn they fought tenaciously at Chancellorsville. They did not participate in the battle of Gettysburg. After the Gettysburg campaign, elements of the Vermont Brigade were sent to help quell the draft riots in New York City.

In May of 1864 the Army Of The Potomac, under the leadership of General Grant began its spring offensive towards Richmond, known as the "Overland Campaign". The Vermont Brigade numbered some 2,850 strong. On the morning of May 5th the Union Army attacked Lees army of Northern Virginia. While the initial Union attack was succesful, rough terrain and stubborn resistance ground down the attack. By midday AP Hills Confederate corp had been brought up and was attacking the weak Union center along the Orange Plank Road where Union trenches were dug. General Gettys three brigades were ordered by General Hancock, who was still bringing up most of his corp, to hold the road and counter attack. The Vermont Brigade took the southern flank and charged the advancing confederates. Ordered to retreat, the 5th VT regiment instead launched a bayonet charge, buying time for Union troops and the rest of the VT brigade to fall back to the trenches. The Confederates continued to attack until the Union line was stabilized. Losses by the brigade totalled some 1,269 killed wounded and missing in less than 12 hours of fighting.

After the battle of the Wilderness the Union Army moved south to Spotsylvania Courthouse where Lees Army had entrenched. Early in the battle elements of the Vermont brigade, defending trenches foward of the rest of the Union Army, was ordered to retreat and spike their guns before the Confederates overran them. Disobeying orders, the commander of the brigade ordered the guns to be "spiked with cannister" and the brigade was able to defend the guns and trenches succesfully until the rest of the Army was brought up. The Vermonters suffered heavily during the ensuing battle in the Confederate trenches.

The final battle of the Overland Campaign was the battle of Cold Harbor. The Vermont Brigade was one of the units selected to charge Confederate earthworks on June 1st. The brigade suffered heavily in the battle. In less than 10 minutes some 5,000 Union soldiers were killed or wounded. The brigade, in less than 1 month of fighting had gone from 2,850 men to less than 1,200.

While the Army Of The Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia dug in at Petersburg, battles and skirmishes continued around the city. At Cedar Creek, the Vermont Brigade covered the retreat of elements of the Union Army against advancing numbers. Six medals of honor were awarded to Vermonters at Cedar Creek and the brigade captured three regimental colors and the entire 12th North Carolina regiment.

Engaged at Petersburg the until the end of the war, the Vermont Brigade led the attack on the earthworks defending the city and the Vermonters broke the lines. Six members of the Vermont Brigade won the medal of honor on the morning of April 2, 1865 when the attacked occured. After the siege the Brigade participated in the victory parade in Washington, the only brigade not to be altered or split up during the war.