Regimental Commanders of the First Vermont Brigade at the Wilderness 

VI Corp Army Of The Potomac Commander:  Major General John Sedgwick

Second Division Commander:  Brigadier General George W. Getty

Second Brigade: Colonel Lewis Addison Grant

     Lewis Addison Grant

Lewis A Grant was born January 17, 1828 in Winhall Vermont. Prior to the war he was a teacher and a lawyer. Grant enlisted in the 5^th Vermont Volunteers and was mustered in at St. Albans VT in September 1861 with the rank of Major. He was quickly promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and then to Colonel in September 1862. Grant Assumed command of the "Old Vermont" Brigade on February 21, 1863 and with the exception of being in temporary command of the Sixth Corp, Second Division during early 1865, remained its commander for the duration of the war. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on May 21, 1864 and then to Major General on October 19, 1864.

L.A. Grant was a member of the First Vermont Brigade for all of its major engagements, and he was wounded at Fredericksburg and Petersburg. Grant was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle of Chancellorsville. For a period of time after the war he served as Assistant US Secretary of War.

2^nd Vermont Regiment

                  Newton Stone                                  John S Tyler                             Samuel E Pingree

Colonel Newton Stone joined the 2^nd Vermont Regiment at age 23 with the rank of 2^nd Lieutenant in May 1861. He became known for his bravery and coolness under fire and was promoted quickly. On April 1, 1864 Stone was promoted to command of the 2^nd VT.

At approximately 5:00 PM on May 5, Col. Stone received a leg wound. After going to the rear and receiving medical attention he remounted and returned to the front. The 2^nd was under heavy fire, but Stone rode up and down the lines being cheered by his men. He urged them men to stay and fight as every man was needed on the firing line. Suddenly he fell to the ground dead shot thru the head.

Command of the 2^nd passed to Lieutenant Colonel John S. Tyler who was described as being very young but very brave. Near dark on May 5, Tyler was overseeing his troops near the Brock road when he was wounded in the thigh. He refused help from his men as he knew that the regiment could spare no men. Tyler’s wound proved fatal and he died on route to his home in Vermont.

Once Tyler was wounded this left the 2^nd VT with no field officers so Lieutenant Colonel Samuel E Pingree of the 3^rd VT Regiment assumed command of the 2^nd VT. Twice wounded at the Battle of Lee’s Mills in 1862, Pingree had won the Medal of Honor for his actions.

3^rd Vermont Regiment 

     Thomas O Seaver

Colonel Thomas O Seaver joined the 3^rd Vermont Regiment as a Captain in May of 1861. Seaver survived the Battle of the Wilderness unwounded and was to earn the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the battle of Spotsylvania on May 10, 1864.

4^th Vermont Regiment

                                          George P Foster                           John E Pratt

 Colonel George P Foster  joined the 4^th Vermont Regiment at age 25 in 1861. He was elected Captain of his company. After serving as its Lieutenant Colonel for a period of time, Foster was appointed Colonel of the 4^th VT on February 2, 1864. In the Wilderness on May 5^th Foster remained on horseback and as he rode behind his men he was wounded in the thigh and had to leave the field. Foster was to recover from his wound and would be promoted to Brigadier General for his service during the Shenandoah and Petersburg Campaigns. After Foster’s wounding the 4^th was commanded by Major John E Pratt.

 5^th Vermont Regiment

                                          John R Lewis                                   Charles Dudley

Lieutenant John R Lewis Joined the  ^1st  Vermont in September of 1861. After the term of his enlistment had expired he joined the 5^th VT as a Captain. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel for his actions at the Battle of White Oak Swamp in 1862. During the early part of the fighting on May 5 Lewis was shot in the left arm. His arm was amputated. Lewis survived and was promoted to Brigadier General due to his actions at the Wilderness. He remained in the army after the war serving in various administrative positions. After Lewis’s wounding the 5^th VT was commanded by Major Charles Dudley. He proved to be a capable leader but was destined to die of wounds received just five days later during Upton’s charge at Spotsylvania.

6^th Vermont Regiment 

                                        Elisha L Barney                                   Oscar A Hale

Colonel Elisha L Barney  joined the 6^th Vermont as a Captain in October 1861. He was seriously wounded in the temple at Crampton’s Gap in September 1862. Barney was promoted to Colonel because of his bravery at Chancellorsville where he captured a Louisiana Colonel. During the fighting on May 5, a partly spent mini ball entered the same temple Barney had sustained a wound to at Crampton’s Gap. He was carried from the field and died May 10, 1864. Major Oscar A Hale assumed command of the 6^th VT and held this position until his wounding in August 1864.

The appalling loss of officers continued down the ranks of the Brigade,  a total of 16 officers were reported killed, 41 wounded, and 2 missing.

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* All CDVs on this page courtesy of the Vermont Historical Society *