History of the Eighth Regiment Vermont Volunteers. 1861-1865

'CONQUER OR PERISH. 333•rushed past just as they had sprung from their blankets.The surprise wascomplete. The best soldiers in the world (and no more gallant troops thanthe Eighth Corps were ever mustered) could have done nothing but fly. Forojir little brigade the moinent was supreme. Every man felt that the destinyof that great army, and perhaps of the whole country, hung fearfully tremblingin the balance. We well knew that for ourseiz'es we could not "pluckthe flower safety from this nettle danger.''The only question was, could we check the furious tide, could we holdthat line for half an hour, and thus give the Nineteenth and Sixth Corpstime to form a new line ? And the reply which our hearts gave was, "Wewill do it, or perish in the attempt "! And for answer whether we redeemedour pledge, let the words chiselled on this stone reply: "Out of 148 menand 16 officers of the Eighth Vermont who entered this fight, no men and13 officers were killed and wounded before sunrise." Like a rock stoodthat little line. The rushing wave of the enemy seeking to engulf us wasshattered against that living rampart as the waves of old ocean are brokenwhen they hurl themselves against the eternal cliffs. But as old oceangathers herself after each repulse, and bursts again upon therocky barrier,so did our gallant foes a;gain and again hurl themselves against us.No pen can describe the scene, no pencil paint its fury. The deep gloomof the early morning was lighted up by the incessant flashes of musketryfrom either side ;the air was filled with missiles, and heavily laden with theroar of battle, the shock of artillery, and the shouts of the combatants.Three separate times were the colors of the Eighth Vermont in the graspof the enemy; three color-bearers poured out their life-blood and diedclinging to the flag;precious flag from the field.but three times we beat back the enemy, and bore ourBut our pledge had been kept, sealed with blood, and at the price of agreat slaughter, but still kept. For half an hour under the dauntlessThomas had we held in check the whole centre of the enemy's advance ;and when our little remnant was finally swept from the field, the Nineteenthand Sixth Corps, in their new position, gained while we fought, were incomparative readiness for the assault.Looking from that scene of carnage of twenty-one years ago, when wewho are now gathered here in friendly unity were deadly foes, let me revertto the sentiment expressed in my opening words — may not this stone beMizpah to us of the North and South — once foes, iww friends ? Placedhere, not for glorification, but to mark the spot where our comrades fell, tomark the place of an important public event, and a turning-point in anation's history, let it also have a deeper meaning to us of the North, andyou, our brothers in the South. Let it be a pillar of stone which shall forevermark an era of genuine fraternal feeling between us. Let it be aneverlasting covenant that we will not pass over this stone to thee, and thoushalt not pass over this pillar to us, for harm.