The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-12-17
(Our War Correspondence
From the Second Vermont Regiment.
CANT GRIFFIN, Fairfax County, Va,
n,o II 1871

Dec. III, 1901.
EDITOR FREEMAN BY way of preface ought
to say that my rank here is that OF a private
and ~priyntes are expected to know just enough
to obey orders. Many of us have yet to learn
even this. AS for the plans our superlors
are laying out for us to execute we know DIS III
tie as IA horse knows Of the plans of his driver.
The answer we are obliged to give to all inqulr-
ers, is one that would be perfectly familiar to
those who belonged to Il certain secret political
organization noted chiefly for its hostility to for
eigners.
This regiment would relish a fight now ex-
trtmely we'll. When that event takes place you
may be assured the Vermont Second will do their
share to wipe out the stigma upon onr arms,
which they have coveted the privilege Of doing
ever since the Bull Run disaster.
Since the boys here have received their new
clothes. they have been able to keep themselves
tolerably comfortable. Before this they had
just cause for complaint. | cannot very highly
recommend some OF the clothing they have given
us | have seen some OF these blue pants alter
q iortnight's service, so far gone as to be &C
tually indecent to wear. Some of the boys have
no rubber blanket, nor bed tick, nothing but
necessary, almost Indispensable. Many Oh the
cOlulClo WUu-u SldOlJ dCCCpt III CACo WIN
blanket these cold MI hts. In other respects we
stances will allow. You must bear in mind.
however, that / lay no claim to any extended
observation.
Most of the large tents have small stoves in
them made especially for this business. The
boys procured them on their own hook. They
are bound to keep warm if possible. The tent |
occupy & the smallest-sized army tent. 10 call
these tents contemplate is using the mildest term
that will apply to them. | don't know their
exact dimensions in feet and inches, but IL man
any above the medium hight, lying down, can
touch the opposite sides of one Of these tents
with his head and feet at the same time, and tho
united breadth of five ordinary men will cover
its entire length. Thr.e others with myself
make one of these our temporary home. When
we are all IN the tent, together with our bed
blankets, overcoats, knapsacks, haversacks, can
teens, guns and equipments, besides having a fire.
place and generally as much as Il half cord of
wood on hand seasoning for use you may mag
Inc that there Is but little room to spare. This
is no CULVER tale. We contrived to make 30
much of SO little room by digging down and
settling the floor ii. e. the ground) Of our rrnt
about two feet and then building up around this
excavation with logs in regular Tippecanoe style
about two feet more and over the whole placing
our cloth tent. This basement protects us Sc
curely from the wind, is quite warm, and affords
US a chance to stand erect anywhere within our
circumscrited limits while before we could do 50
only along the middle of the tent. We made a
scrt of platform Tor q bed on each end Of the
tent which gives us room, underneath for our
wood, &c. On one side we cxcavatcd a fire.
place with an opening to the surface OF the
ground outside the tent around which we built
a chimney. The soil here is of a peculiar kind
of clay Indigenous to this locality and when
heated by fire it becomes firm as o rock. Two
Of our number sleep on the ground with their
feet in pretty close proximity to this fire. place.
Ncglecting to place a big stone before it one
night to protect them nearly cost Us our lives.
A wool n blanket took fire, and before we awokc
we were nearly suffocated with smoke.
The Vermont NJ. G. S made US a visit last Sat
urday, and out of curiosity poeped into this
tent. They admired our ingenuity, but were
apprehensive that living below the surface of the
ground was prcjudicial to health. Our expert
ence however fails to corroborate this view. 70
our anxious friends at home, | beg leave to say
that the fire in our rude fire place dravs re-
markably well, and We find no difficulty in keep
ing ourselves warm by it this cold weather.
There are other tents fitted up in a manner SIM
liar to ours, and some of the boys have built
regular log huis.
But my letter is swelling far beyond the d.
mansions intended. That we may prove our
selves worthy sons of Vermont, and inheri, the
title OF Green Mountain Boys, with all its his
toric %lnster, is the firm determination of every
brave heart, and their number is not few.
ANrl-REBEL, 81 Regiment.