Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1861-11-21
FROM THE SHARP SHOOTERS.
CAMP OF INSTRUCTION BERDAN'sl
SHARP-SHooTERs. Nov. z. 1861.

pIlAhf-ChOo1Eho, INOf. q, JOO1.
Ed'tor Rutland Herald Noticing the
other ga y in your paper a remark to the
effect hat letters from camp were well
come, or something similar, / thought l
would expose the fallacy of such an asser-
ton by writing to you.
We cad with interest beyond express
sion, y6urS mostly, and sometimes the
Montpelier daiIies What concerns us
most nearly is the action, or rather nom
action of the Legislature in regard TO the
81 pei month which we expected, and
suppo4eh we were TO have. The neglect
of the State Government in this respect,
has E&ry unfavorable effect on the tenn
per Of some Of our boys, and they are
very free in expressing their sentiments
with words far more forcible than ele-
giant, The almost universal sentiment is,
I'VE do not care 50 much for the moneg.
as tha having enlisted with the under
standi hg that we should have the extra
pay, ne now find ourselves SoLd."
Blu to turn to a more disagreeable sub
ject, be weather-cold, wet, damp, fog
gy, dif NAL weather-such as Dickens so
well describes in Little Dorrit. / will
say one thing in favor ofrainy days-we
don't drill. In the morning when |
awake and hear the rain pattering on the
the TENTS, and mayhap have a feeling
sense Of it, when little hole, through
which ! count the stars on pleasant
night admits the water, drop by drop, on
my cheek, or into my ear-then there is
one great consolation-one panacea for
all my wOes-nO drill, no duty, no nothing.
and with a murmured blessing on the
head OF Lieut.. II, who protrudes
his head through the front door, with a
gruf mo roll call ! take another turn in
my blanket. and refuse to confess myself
awake, even with eyes open, and all the
faculties in active service. Thank heaven
for rainy days
The subscriber lately resolved to as
tonish every one with a California fur
mace, Of which ere this you have probably
heard. In accordance with this resolution,
and fastened on by some cold snaps, he
collected quantum suficit Of bricks and
half ditto, around his dwelling place, and
early one morning commenced operations
on what he contended should be the Chef
d'ourre OF mechanical skill and engineer
ing. He was in no wise discouraged by
the difficulties attendant on the necessary
excavations and that being done. he pro
ceeded with confidence in his own abili-
ties to transform himself for the time into
bricklayer. 1t is with sorrow thai he
Il 10 rF J. t.sI
tempted TO withhold the recitation of cir
cumstances 50 unfavorable 10 bis reputa-
tiOn-but above all things he desires to
have a character for strict veracitv. and
therefore contesses to an entire upsetting
OF hiF plans by the perver>e manner in
which the bricks maintained their indyid-
ualitk. In no case he could lay 4 per-
pendicular wall without a subsequent imi-
tatioh Of the tortifca,ions Of the walls Of
Jeridho. These accidents were at length
rene died by professional brother, and to
the delight o. all, the erection was CON-
pletefi. But alas the best laid plans of
man and mice gang aft awrie." a fire
was kindled in it amidst the civilizations Of
all Who had suffered with cold extreu.i-
ties, hnd each one was enjoying the fire
in pF osPectu,' when it suddenly became
appa rent to all that every part of the
work performed III. functions of a chin
ney. except that part itself
With suffused eyes and choking ac-
cent? the protest was made. that it was
the first time, and improvements would
soon be visible
As time passed on, one day following
another the disease became chronic. and
now whatever joys are ours. there Is one
thing lies heavy on our heart-our CHM
ney smokes
A you probably know, We are yet in
the camp Of Observation-Disclosures gone tlro'
no d nger-have met no nemy-have
tough BIT no battle,-yet since We left Yer
mon two poor fellows have left Us, never
to return. One of them. Fits. died soon
after our arrival. johnson was with Us
long enough for US to appreciate him as a
comrade-to value him as a friend and
lament his death as a loss to the company
and his friends.
Yours, truly, CoRPoRAL.