William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
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Gov.
Yours of May 4th is received. I am pained to learn that you consider, “that the
diciplin of this Regiment is not what it ought to be,” and see cause to censure me as its commanding officer as the cause of it. It
has always been my study to make the 10th Vt. one of the
best Regiments that ever left the state, and one they would be proud of, and it
seems hard to be censured for
a thing beyond
my control. The night after Col Jewett left I called upon Major Chandler, and
had a talk with him in regard to the new promotions. I told him who I thought
ought to be promoted, and he agreed with me in all except Capt Frost – but said
I could go on and recomend him just the same, and gave me his word of honor that he would not do the first thing to prevent his
promotion, but for reasons which he could not explain to me then he wished to be
excused from joining in the recomendation Also he told me that probably
no officer in the Regiment was more opposed to what we call “Town
Meetings” among officers than he. And yet I find by your letter that he protested in a letter to you against it and I learn by
officers that he was the very man that did the most towards getting up, and
influencing the officers to sign the paper for Capt. Dillingham. Now how am I to
blame for such conduct as that on the part of my only field officer? who should
have done all he possibly could to stop such a thing as the line officers
getting up a paper effecting one of
the ranking line officers, for anything that broke down Capt Frost and
Capt Dill. would in the end help some of them. It is the first time in the
history of this Regiment that the recomends of the commanding officer have been
interfered with, and it has already had a very bad effect among us, all of which
would have been stoped at once had your Excellency promoted according to my
recommendations. I believe it would give as good satisfact- -ion, as any other
promotion could give, and they would never attempt the thing again. I have not
so far heard one word against Capt Frost
that was not dictated by
jealousy or self interest.
Enclosed I send you a paper which has just been handed by the line officers to
forward to you, and although I protest against the principle, and do not
hesitate to say that in my opinion it is unmilitary, yet
at their earnest entreaty and considering the peculiar circumstances under which
I find myself, I have concluded to send it, but it is all wrong and does more to
impair the discipline of this Regiment than any other thing that ever happened
to us.
so far since we crossed the Rapid Ann. We have been under
fire almost every day, but yet it has not happened that we have been charged
upon by the enemy or had to make a charge upon them, yet we have been in the
front line all the time, and now are laying behind a
“rifle pit” we dug last night, and about 1000 yards from the enemys “rifle pit”,
and about two miles south and east of Spottsylvania. The Regiment has formed
twice under a heavy “shell” fire
yet upon all occasions they have
done their duty nobly, and you may rest assured they will never bring disgrace
upon the honor of Vermont troops, which I am proud to say is second to none in
this Army. I hope you will excuse this paper and writing, as the paper is all
the kind I have with me, and I have to write this laying on my belly flat on the ground. And it is the best I can do under the
circumstances. My loss is 4 killed & 23 wounded have forwarded a list to
Genl Washburn
Respectfully your obdt servtWm. W. Henry
Lt Col Comdg 10th Vt