8th Vermont Infantry - Battle of Cedar Creek

Battle of Cedar Creek

During the Battle of Cedar Creek, the 8th Vermont Infantry played a critical role in the fighting. In the early morning fog of 19 October 1864, confederates crossed Cedar Creek near Strasburg, Virginia, and attacked Union forces in their camps. After routing the Union's VIII Corps, the Confederate attack struck at the XIX Corps. While the XIX Corps fought back from entrenched position, a second Confederate Corps joined the battle flanking their trenches. In order to escape the trap Brigadier General William H. Emory, commander of the XIX Corps, ordered the 2nd Brigade of his First Division to move forward, engage, and delay the two Confederate Corps.

At the time of the battle, the 2nd Brigade was composed of three under-strength units, the 12th Connecticut Infantry Regiment, the 160th New York Infantry Regiment, and the 8th Vermont Infantry Regiment. The Brigade was commanded by a Colonel Stephen Thomas, who had previously commanded the 8th Vermont. As ordered, the Brigade advance several hundred yards beyond the Federal lines and engaged the vastly superior Confederate forces in brutal hand-to-hand combat. Their stubborn fight held up the Confederate attack for thirty minutes, allowing the rest of the XIX Corps to withdraw and join forces with the VI Corps about a mile to their rear near Belle Grove Plantation. As mounting casualties reduced the 2nd Brigade’s combat effectiveness, Colonel Thomas successfully withdrew his Brigade. The 8th Vermont Infantry being the last unit to pull back.

In his short engagement, the casualty rates were extremely high in all of the 2nd Brigade units, especially the 8th Vermont. Of 164 Vermont men, 110 were killed or wounded along with 13 of their 16 officers. Here is how the fighting was described by one Vermont veteran:

Suddenly a mass of rebels confronted the flags, and with hoarse shouts demanded their surrender. Defiant shouts went back. “Never!” “Never!” A rebel soldier then leveled his musket and shot Corporal Petre, who held the colors. He cried out: “Boys, leave me; take care of yourselves and the flag!” But in that vortex of hell men did not forget the colors; and as Petrie fell and crawled away to die, they were instantly seized and borne aloft by Corporal Perham, and were as quickly demanded again by a rebel who eagerly attempted to grasp them; but Sergeant Shores of the guard placed his musket at the man's breast and fired, instantly killing him. But now another flash, and a cruel bullet from the dead rebel's companion killed Corporal Perham, and the colors fell to the earth. Once more, amide terrific yells, the colors went up, this time held by Corporal Blanchard—and the carnage went on. (George H. Carpenter, 8th Vermont)

Despite the heavy fighting and the loss of three color bearers, the 8th Vermont Infantry did not give up their flag and withdrew in good order. Falling back slowly, they rejoin the rest of the XIX Corps around Belle Grove plantation. The 8th Vermont continues to fight all day, ultimately helping to turn the dawn route at Cedar Creek into a major Union victory.

In 1883, a monument of Vermont marble was place at the site where the 8th Vermont made their stand. The monument was paid for by Herbert E. Hill, a Vermont business man who wanted to honor his state’s civil war heroes. The monument still exists. It is located in its original place on the battlefield about 150 yards east of the Valley Pike, now U.S. Route 11 between Middletown and Strasburg, Virginia. While the monument is well maintained, it is located on private property so it is not easy to find.