Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-05-14

til fancy had filed the picture TO which reality
had given only the frame. This also was the
season when the deer furnished the best ven-
son, and the bear the richest tongue and steak
and when there was no enemy near to be at
tracted by the sound the click of the rifle was
sure prcmoniton of a repast, which, were it
not for the plainncss of its appointments, would
have been feast for an epicurc.
When winter had mantled the earth, then
did the old woods which had stood for ages un-
disturbed feel the force of the sturdy blow, and
many noble oak yielded its life, that the axe
which wounded it might be new-handlcd, the
fort repaired, where time and the enemy had
weakened it, and the soldier warmed when be-
numbed by cold and exposure. Then, too,
would they prepare the trap for the big moose,
or on snow-shoes attack him on his own prem
iscs and when the heavy carcass arrived piece
meal at its destination, its presence spoke of
plenty and good cheer for long season.
On the Sabbath, if it was garrison provid-
cd with chaplain, what themes could not the
preacher find suggestive of God and goodness ?
The White Hills on one side, and on the other
the Green Mountains, pointed to the heaven of
which he would speak, and emblemized the
majesty of Him who reigned there. The sim
pie wild wood flowers taught lessons of gentle
ness and mercyi and when the hand of the foe
had destroyed the habitation, and widowed the
wife and carried the babes captives; when the
shrek at midnight, or in the daytime the am
bush in the path told of surprise or insecurity,
with what pathos could he warn his listeners Of
"the terror by night" of "the arrow that flieth
by day." of 'thc destruction that wastcth at
monday and urge upon them the necessity of
preparation not only temporarily, but for eter-
nifty.
Joyful was the hour when the invitation came
n ofg ~ lnpls hOta asn
or Of dwelling within the walls Of neighbor-
ing garrison. As timber rose upon timber. or
as mortlse received tenon, and main-post the
brace with its bevcl joint, tumultuously arose
the shouts, and merrily passed the cantcen from
mouth to mouth with its precious freight of rum
and cider. And when the last log was laid, or
the frame work stood complete, foreshadowng
the future house in its skeleton outline, then
-, ta,,,,, go ~, -, Wv VI ''.V pa.
tr;ld;ro AMI cbr;s,o,i :, ehrooI;nr, ,Lo Lo,,i"
~ aIn,1;,, q, H. 49,. 60 -, - IL wv
tbo inaC, bronoh uLH IL oor,no,;,,so ro,, ,l'
a;r ,,;,L ,Lair r,,.,, Ill ' '''N
Croa, ros ,ba I,,,, ,,, ,,,..t,cIs,.o
&c 1a.aIi ,h
W, l ~, ','o
- a,J ,Lo dal;no,,o'. ,,ro,,oi o,' -
an o,,;rnaI ox,ia,aJ IL r,,f, ,;J ,Lo ;
bis moro for,i,na,o con,raios Vhan ,So iooL
,;oh, hal orshro,,iaJ III oi;oo,s ;,L H.,
8 al r.. H.. v W. - Wv" ,i''' i ~
d;a, or IN ,rL.., -" IA ,,a,.
Is,on ~ ,ha L,noi,;r os s,,,', I'll ,u ~!
a, tho ca,o Of ,be;r ,nJ bon "a'iI ''IadI,,
Jd tbev hal; ,hn oSNroach o,1 &c I,ht 80!
;,h H. ,roso,oo fdirrs ,,L;ah H. Sasiraaa LIei
r,aon;fad - ,,;o,t ,ra,,a,,,,. '-N'
cncL ,,oro ,Lo b;rr,hdst J.; c.. ,l,o o,,l,. ,,la.
,,,.os a,,,ort,;,';, e, ,.;, -, ,:e' :n'
,;nr. IN h. oari,. ,u,es In ;1,an.
tho solI;nr ;,,,nsossad ;,,,a ,hn a!.,.;n' ,'.oS
fnrcoJ ~ e,sii an ,,n,,,;ll;na, 1',,,.
,bn via or ,ha ,nn,har ,he h,'s
hand r ~ 1 ahonaJ ,'aI,;Ii' ~ ','u ttI
Saro and hard l", Va, ,horo ,'ns ,a ' h',, II,
,Ia attention Maid IN rho cn,,;ya,;o, avon ~ tbo
moro common groces of snn;e,v ord ,ha hoa",
..,rrod ,n Gnor ;ssvos f,nnJ H., I;,,In s,,,,,,'n
,bv in the continuous round ~ tbe savcres, Jn;.
~ y'uu,ies.
But this was merely the training school in
hardship and endurance. In the ranger corps
were perfected those lessons which made the
partisan soldier of the last century an equal
match for the resoldte lndian whose birthright
had been an habitation to daring deeds and
wasting fatigue. The duties of the rangers
were "to scour the woods and ascertain the
force and position of the enemy; to discover
and prevent the effect of his ambuscades and
to ambush him in turn to acquire information
OF MS movements ny making prisoners oil tne
sentinels, and to clear the way for the advance
of the regular troops.' In fighting they adopt
ed that mode which was practiced by the In
dian, and they were not interior to him in arti-
fee or linesse. As marksmen, none surpassed
them With sensitiyeness to sound approx
mating to that OF instinct, they could detect the
sly approach of the foe, or could mark with an
accuracy almost beyond belief the place of his
concealment. Their route was for the most
part through a country thickly wooded, now
over Jagged hills and steep mountains and
anon across foaming rivers or gravelly -bedded
t brooks.
When an Indian track was discovered, fa-
; vorable point was chosen in its course and
there was formed an ambuscade where the par
tisans would lie in wait day after day for the
approach of the enemy Nor were mountains
rivers, and foes the only obstacles with which
they were forced to contend. Loaded with pro-
= visions for months march, carrying muske
heavier by far than those of a more moderr
5 make, with ammunition and appurtenances cor
| respondent-thus equipped with the burden o.
G porter, did they do the duty of a soldier. Al