Id’d Pair of Civil War Gauntlets – Private Daniel Bissell Stedman Co. B 16th Vermont Infantry

Enlisted on 8/28/1862 as a Private.

On 10/23/1862 he mustered into “B” Co. VT 16th Infantry

He was Mustered Out on 8/10/1863 at Brattleboro, VT

He was listed as:

* Wounded 7/3/1863 Gettysburg, PA

Promotions:

* Corpl 2/14/1863

Other Information:

Member of GAR Post # 16 (E. K. Wilcox) in Springfield, MA

died 10/7/1923

After the War he lived in Brattleboro, MA

And SERGEANT LYMAN S. EMERY, COMPANY A SIXTEENTH REGIMENT.

THE Sixteenth regiment of Vermont Volunteers was composed

of companies which were recruited in the counties of Windsor

and Windham.  These companies met and organized at their

respective places of rendezvous between the dates of August 26

and September 20, 1862, as follows:

Company A–at Bethel; Henry A. Eaton, Captain.

Company B–at Brattleboro; Robert B. Arms, Captain.

Company C–at Ludlow; Asa G. Foster, Captain.

Company D–at Townshend; David Ball, Captain.

Company E–at Springfield; Alvin C. Mason, Captain.

Company F–at Wilmington; Henry F. Dix, Captain.

Company G–at Barnard; Harvey N. Bruce, Captain.

Company H–at Felchville; Joseph C. Sawyer, Captain.

Company I–at Williamsville; Lyman E. Knapp, Captain.

Company K–at Chester; Samuel Hutchinson, Captain.

On the 27th of September, 1862, the officers of these

companies met at Bellows Falls and elected the field officers

of the regiment, as follows:

Wheelock G. Veazey of Springfield, Colonel; Charles

Cummings of Brattleboro, Lieutenant-Colonel; William Rounds of

Chester, Major; Jabez D. Bridgman of Rockingham, Adjutant;

James G. Henry of Royalton, Quartermaster; Dr. Castanus B.

Park, Jr., of Grafton, Surgeon; Dr. George Spafford of Windham,

Assistant Surgeon; Rev. Alonzo Webster of Windsor, Chaplain.

This regiment rendezvoused at Brattleboro on the 9th of

October, 1862, and was mustered into the United States service

on the 23d of October, 1862, by Major William Austine, with

949 officers and men, and a more intelligent and educated body

of men, it is safe to say, was never mustered for any regiment.

The regiment left Brattleboro for the seat of war on the

24th of October, 1862, by way of New Haven Connecticut, over

the Sound Line of Steamers to New York, thence to Port Monmouth

by boat, and then by rail the balance of the way to Washington,

where it arrived on the morning of October 27.  It went into

camp on Capitol Hill near where the Twelfth, Thirteenth,

Fourteenth and Fifteenth regiments, which had just preceded it,

were in camp, and with which it was brigaded, forming what was

known as the Second Vermont Brigade.

On the 30th of October the regiment moved across the

Potomac River and encamped with the rest of the brigade near

Ball’s Cross Roads in Virginia.  This place was called “Camp

Seward.”  The regiment remained at this camp until November 3,

when it moved to a high ridge overlooking the Potomac River and

near Hunting Creek, a distance of about nine miles.  The whole

brigade moved at the same time to the same place, and from that

time on the place was called Camp Vermont.  It was expected

that the regiment would remain at this place during the winter

as a part of the reserve force for the defense of Washington,

and considerable pains were taken to stockade and make camp

life comfortable, but on the 11th of December the brigade was

ordered to move, and on the following day did move out farther

to the front.  The first night it encamped at Fairfax Court

House and the next day moved on to a point near Centreville,

where it remained, doing picket duty for several days, and then

returned to Fairfax Court House and remained there until

January 20, 1863.

The regiment then moved to Fairfax Station on the Orange

and Alexandria railroad and remained there until the 24th of

March, and then moved down the railroad about six miles on

a high point near Union Mills.  The principal service while

here was picket duty on Bull Run, and at points farther down

the railroad, which was being repaired and opened for

transportation to the Rappahannock River.  May 27 the regiment

was ordered to guard the railroad, and companies A and G, in

command of Captain Eaton, were stationed at Manassas Junction,

and companies C, D, E and F, with Colonel Veazey and Major

Rounds, were stationed at Bristoe Station, near Broad River,

and companies B, I and K, with Lieutenant-Colonel Cummings in

command, were stationed at Catlett’s Station.  May 30 a supply

train was attacked by a party of raiders under Mosby and

considerable damage done.  A short skirmish occurred and the

raiders were driven back.

On the 11th of June the regiment returned to Union Mills

and resumed picket duty along Bull Run.  On the 23d the

brigade, which had been commanded since April 20 by General

Stannard, became attached to the First Corps of the Army of the

Potomac under General Reynolds.  The Confederates had already

started on their raid toward Pennsylvania and a heavy battle

was imminent.  On the 25th orders came to move and the pickets

on duty were called in.  Colonel Veazey called his officers and

non-commissioned officers together and assured them that they

might soon expect to meet the enemy in battle, and gave them

good advice and instructions.  At 3 o’clock of that day, the

regiment started on its march, joining the great tide of the

Army of the Potomac, which was moving northward to intercept

the enemy in its advance on Washington, Baltimore, Harrisburg

and Philadelphia.  The Potomac was crossed at Edward’s Ferry

and the great army passed on through Adamstown, Frederick,

Jeffersonville and other towns.  On the 30th, after a forced

march of six days in heavy marching order, the regiment reached

Emmitsburg, and a rest was taken there for the night.  About

ten o’clock the next morning the sound of battle was heard in

the direction of Gettysburg, and the regiment moved on at noon

in that direction as rapidly as possible.  The weather was

intensely hot, the men were weary and foot-sore, but every man

readily and quickly fell into line.  The usual hilarity of a

start did not prevail, but instead each man’s face bore a

grave, determined look.  At 5 o’clock the regiment was in full

view of the terrible scene.  Shells bursting in the air, smoke

of burning buildings, the roar of artillery, wounded men being

borne to the rear, citizens of the town and vicinity fleeing

for their lives, cast a gloom over the men, but the ranks

gathered up closer and the sturdy men commenced nerving

themselves for the emergency.  As the regiment neared the

battlefield, a halt was made, the guns and ammunition were

inspected, bayonets fixed, and the regiment started at a rapid

pace, sometimes at double-quick, and soon formed in the battle

line upon the ridge, a little to the left of Cemetery Hill.

The first day’s fight was just over, and our troops had been

forced back through the town upon this ridge and hill.  About

one-third of the Sixteenth regiment, under command of Major

Rounds, was detailed for picket duty that night, and the

remainder took position on the rear slope of Cemetery Hill and

bivouacked for the night, which all with reason apprehended

would be the last night on earth of more or less of our number.

In the morning, July 2, the pickets were recalled, but

during the forenoon, company B, Captain Arms, was sent forward

to re-enforce the skirmish line, and there rendered splendid

service.  This company was taken into position by Captain

Foster of company C, who was then on General Stannard’s staff,

and was wounded in discharging this duty.  The main battles

of July 2 were fought on the right and left flanks of the Union

line.  Near the close of the battle on the left, which had been

fought with the greatest severity and had finally involved

several Corps of the Union Army, the Sixteenth, with the rest

of the brigade, was moved about one-half mile to the left along

Cemetery Ridge to re-enforce our badly shattered lines.  In

this movement it was under terrific artillery fire, one shell

hitting two men and killing them instantly.  The regiment was

finally halted in support of a battery and just in season to

receive and repel a heavy charge of infantry.  Darkness soon

came on and the battle ceased with the Sixteenth in the front

line.  Soon after this Colonel Veazey was detailed to take the

regiment with others and establish a picket line across the

battlefield of that afternoon.  The battle had been fought back

and forth over this ground and it was literally covered with

dead and wounded men, among whom the Sixteenth were deployed to

watch the enemy while our army was resting for a renewal of the

awful conflict in the morning.  No regiment ever had a more

trying night on picket duty.  It was not relieved in the

morning, but the men held the same position as skirmishers

throughout the forenoon and until the final assault.  The

position of the reserves, supporting the skirmish line, was

twenty rods or more in advance of the main line of battle, and

the skirmish line was considerably in advance of the reserves

and extended a long distance to the right and left.  The famous

infantry charge of July 3 was preceded for two hours by the

great artillery duel, participated in by some 250 guns, the

regiment being in the depression between the two lines of

cannon.  This was followed by the charge of Longstreet’s three

divisions, Pickett’s leading the same and striking first the

skirmish line of the Sixteenth regiment.  Pursuant to previous

orders of our colonel, the skirmishers rallied on the reserves,

except company G, which was so far to the right that it was

obliged to retire to the main line of battle in another

direction, where it opportunely met company B, which had not

rejoined the regiment after it was detached the day before, as

above explained, and these two companies under Captain Arms

took position in support of a battery and there fought

valiantly through the battle.  There were, therefore, but eight

companies occupying the advanced position of the reserves and

towards which Pickett’s division of the enemy seemed to be

directed, but as they were approaching within rifle range the

enemy changed its direction to its left and sufficiently to

uncover our direct front and began to pass by our right flank.

Our colonel then moved us to the right and changed our front so

as to be at right angles with the main line, and we assaulted

Pickett’s right flank.  During this movement we fired directly

into the rebel flank and advanced a distance to the right of

about a thousand yards, and continued the charge until

Pickett’s division had mainly disappeared, a great proportion

being killed, wounded or captured.

At this moment, another rebel line appeared off to our

left and was apparently aiming in the direction of the position

we held before making this charge to the right.  This new force

turned out to be Perry’s and Wilcox’s brigades.  Colonel Veazey

immediately got the regiment into line, began a movement back

over the same ground we had just passed, and again changed our

front so as to be again at right angles with the main line of

battle, but facing to the left instead of the right, and just

as those two brigades reached the point from which we had

started he ordered us to charge their flank, which we did with

a cheer and followed it a long distance until that line had

wholly disappeared, and this was the end of the battle of

Gettysburg, with our regiment still holding its original

extreme advanced position, having captured prisoners many times

its own number and three stands of colors.

The regiment suffered considerable loss in killed and

wounded, but much less than would be expected from its

participation at the pivotal point of the battle far in advance

of any other troops of the Union line, and where the collision

of the fighting was probably as severe and stubborn as ever

occurred in battle; but the comparatively small loss under the

circumstances was due to the fact that the regiment was

constantly on the move in charging flanks to the right and left

and so was not exposed to the direct front fire of the enemy’s

infantry lines.  The conspicuous part it took in this great

battle, its size and bearing in the conflict at a trying and

critical period, its skillful management by Colonel Veazey, won

for it and its gallant and much beloved commander a conspicuous

place in the annals of the war.

After the battle, Colonel Veazey being put in command of

the brigade, it joined in the pursuit of Lee’s forces until

they had crossed the Potomac back into Virginia, and then, as

the term of enlistment of the regiment had expired, it started

toward home, arriving in New York City when the draft riot was

at white heat, and it volunteered to remain there until order

was restored.  It camped upon the Battery, lying upon its arms

and ready for any emergency.  No disturbance, however, called

it into action.  From there it returned to Brattleboro,

Vermont, and was mustered out August 10, 1863, with 831

officers and men.

The history of this regiment would hardly be complete

without a brief reference to its commander.  Col. Wheelock G.

Veazey was born at Brentwood, New Hampshire, December

5, 1835.  He graduated at Dartmouth College, and later at the

Albany Law School, and had just commenced the practice of law

at Springfield, Vermont, when the war commenced.  He enlisted

early in the war as a private in the Third Vermont regiment,

was made captain of company A of that regiment, and soon

promoted to Major and Lieutenant-Colonel.  He was in the

Peninsular Campaign under General McClellan, and participated

in the many battles of that campaign.  For a while he was on

the staff of Gen. W. F. Smith, better known as Gen. “Baldy”

Smith.

The Sixteenth regiment was therefore fortunate in having

as its commanding officer one whose experience in the field had

equipped him so thoroughly for this command.  He succeeded

well in winning the confidence of the officers and men and to

an eminent degree won their universal love and respect.

After the war Colonel Veazey served conspicuously as

lawyer, legislator, supreme court judge, and in many other

positions of public trust, and resigned his office as Judge to

accept an appointment by President Harrison as Interstate

Commerce Commissioner, which position he now holds.

The veteran soldiers have honored him in many ways, and

especially when the great order of the Grand Army of the

Republic elected him Commander in Chief at Boston in 1890.  His

administration in that capacity was signally able and

successful, and marked an era of prosperity in that noble order.

ENGAGEMENTS.

Burke’s Station, Va., (Repulse of Stuart’s Raid),

Dec. 28, 1862.

Catlett’s Station, Va., May 30, 1863.

Gettysburg, Pa., July 1, 2 and 3, 1863.

Gettysburg after battle report:

Report of Col. Wheelock G. Veazey, Sixteenth Vermont Infantry.

Hdqrs. Sixteenth Vermont Volunteers,

Camp at Berlin, Md., July 17, 1863.

Capt.: I have the honor to report the following as the part

taken by the Sixteenth Regt. Vermont Volunteers in the battle

of Gettysburg, fought July 1, 2, and 3, 1863:

The regiment arrived on the field near the close of the action of

the first day, but was not engaged.

On the morning of the second day the regiment was moved to the

rear of Cemetery Hill, and remained there in column, closed in

mass (except Company B, Capt. Armes, which was moved forward

to the skirmish line at 4.30 p. m.), until about 5 p. m., when

it was moved to the left about 100 rods, and forward to the crest of

the hill, and there deployed in support of the batteries engaged.  In

this movement the regiment was under a severe fire, and several

men were killed and wounded.  Later still it was moved farther to

the left and forward, and when the battle closed it occupied the

front line of battle.  Soon after dark I was detailed as general field

officer of the day, and the whole regiment was detailed for picket

duty.

On the morning of the third day, at a quarter before 4 o’clock,

the enemy engaged the left of the picket line, and at 4 a. m.

opened with their artillery, which was replied to by a battery on

the elevated ground in our rear, firing over our heads.  This fire

continued but a short time.  At about 2 p. m. the enemy again

opened with their artillery severely.  They are reported to have

had over one hundred pieces in our front.  This continued for

about two hours.  At about 4 p. m. the enemy advanced a line

of battle against my picket line with great vigor.  The pickets

stood firm and opened fire upon them.  The Fourteenth Vermont

was moved down to the right of my reserves, which consisted of

six companies.  Two of the other four companies were on the

picket line before they rallied on the reserves, and two (B and G)

were in support of a battery.  The Thirteenth Vermont moved

forward to the right of the Fourteenth and a little to the rear

of their line, and the three regiments opened a rapid and destructive

fire upon the right of the line of the enemy (Pickett’s division),

which soon diverged to their left, and thereby left their

right flank exposed.

Pursuant to an order to me, the Sixteenth Regt. passed

back and along by the rear of the Fourteenth and moved to the

left of the Thirteenth, and, joining on to the left of that regiment,

changed front forward, corresponding to a like movement

of the Thirteenth, and the two regiments charged into the flank

of the enemy and very soon crushed the force in our new front.

Very many prisoners were taken in this charge.  This line of the

enemy had scarcely been destroyed before another line advanced

farther to the left and obliquely to my rear.  I immediately received

an order to march back and get into position to oppose

this new line.  I moved about 15 rods by marching by the left flank

and filing to the left, so as to gain upon the enemy and bring my

front facing obliquely to his left flank.  When this position was

gained I received permission to charge.  The result of this charge

was a very large number of prisoners, and, in the two movements,

three stand of colors, the colors being stripped from one standard.

The two brought in were the Second Florida and the Eighth Virginia.

The former had inscribed upon it “Williamsburg” and

“Seven Pines.” No further demonstrations were made by infantry

in our front, but my regiment suffered severely from artillery after

we had destroyed their infantry lines.

I could not speak too highly in praise of the conduct of both

officers and men.  I know of no instance of a man leaving the ranks

until disabled.

I regret to mention as one of the killed Lieut. Lawton, Company

F.  He was a young man of great fidelity and bravery, to

whom I was much attached.  He fell mortally wounded near the

close of the battle.

A list of the killed and wounded is hereto attached.*

Respectfully submitted.

W. G. VEAZEY,

Col., Comdg. Sixteenth Regt. Vermont Vols.

Capt. W. H. Hill,

Assistant Adjutant-Gen.