Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-10-25


CAMp GUFrfv, Fairflx County,
Virginia. October L., 1861.
Mr. EDITOR In my letter Of yesterday,
/ told you an opportunity offered, and | was
off to the camp but little did | forsee my
trials. Our team came into an entanghng
alliance" with six or eight hundred, more or
less, army teams travelling either way, and
darkness overlook us before reaching chain
bridge leaving five or six miles on the Lees
burgh turnpike and Lewisvilc and Fairfax
road to reach our present oncampment SO
TO save time | travelled on aioot and soon
reached the old camp at Fort Marcy, where
found few companies yet remaining, and
Capt Benton, of the llydepark company,
among the rest. With a soldiers generosity
he stationed a sentinel to warn me of the APP
proach Of my team. while / called in to tell
him the news from home. ooh, how all their
hearts bound TO see a man from good old
Nermont) But the sentinel either fell asleep
on his post, or failed to watch as closely as
for a rebel, and my team passed on. Aner
rather Lonesome walk of a mile or two in the
darkness, chose the poor alternative Of an
army wagon, by which means ! was trans
ported into camp, and dumped at the hos
pitable tent Of Quartermaster BRAtNERD, Of
the 9Th. Here was made welcome; and here
spent, very comfortably, my first night in
camp, though the rain poured down in tor
rents.
This morning | opened my eyes upon
strange sight to mo Our 9th regimen. is
cncamped on Shoots Hill. recently owned
and occupied by rebel Of that name Our
ID, Sd, and 18th are cncamped on little lower
ground, Immediately around it, This is the
identical Hill from which Capt Griffin, few
days since, by means Of few shells, sent
party of rebels, who opened upon him from
the neighborhood Of Lewinsvilc "a seody lit
tie village a mile or so In advance, scamper-
ing over the hills, Il Ia Bull Runs and the
camp is named for him. From this cmnence
can be seen the cncampments of nearly the
whole division, consisting, suppose, of forty
or fifty thousand men, comprising infantry
regiments besides our own,) from Maine,
PENNSYLVANIA, Wisconsin, the Cameron dra-
goons. one or more cavalry regiments from
Pennsylvania, aud Ayers, Motifs and Bars
batteries. This vast encampment, gradually
stretching away over the rolling country
around, formed magnificent sight to an I'M
sophisticated Nermonter But before ] had
time 90 turn my mind from contemplating this
grand panorama TO its ultimate object, there
was evidently commotion in camp. The
pickets came running in. The officers held
hurried consultations. The men gathered
gradually to their posts Horsemen we're
riding violently in all directions. The iong
roll was beat. Men few to arms. The bat
teries we're Manned and the guns placed in
position. The horses and wagons were hur-
ried to the rear Soon it was WHISPERED
around that Capt Aver. with his glass, had
df.or,.r.I ,rho1 l.tt,r,- ali SEA ,,o..t;.,
yond Lewinsville, and ready for shellng our
encampment and battle was momontarly
expected. OF course our men were greatly
excited and eager for the fray. But one thing
was noticeable: those regiments which had
seen the least blood letting, were the most
uproarous OF course, too, thought of my
position, and remembered the fate of the look
ers on at Bull Run; and if | never thought Of
a seat in Congress before l then thought of
the present seat Of poor Congressman Ely.
However, believe l managed to keep my
quanimity-perhaps all the better for not be-
lioving there would be fight. And so it
proved. The day wore on, and closed in
peace, and with little more precaution than
usual, till turned in for the night
This section was recently occupied by the
rebels, who have retireda our lines advanced
The inhabitants here are of course loyal, the
dlsloyal having either ebJcd with their kin, or
Fo,Ced over to w Washington, under guard. The
contrabands OF the rebels have in good part
gone over. they say. "to Mr.. Linc,oa"
The residences OF several Of these prominent
rebels are occupied for the head quarters of
our genorals-among whom are Generals
Smith. Hancock. Mccall, and Reynolds But
the tattoo has sounded, and the little light |