Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-10-18

CANT ApyAscn. NEAR CHAIN BnrpaE,
Virginia, October z, 1861.
Mr. Enron The mails coming in to-
night with no papers for me reminded me of
the uniuhiled promise | made to white to you
from our camp,
Our position is on the sacred soil of Virgin
ia, about mile from Chain Bridge. south
erly, which is itself three or four miles from
Georgetown up the Potomac We are en-
camped on the banks of a small stream, with
our tents on a hillside skirting the edge of
little meadow on the stream, which forms
our parade ground. On the hill in our rear
is the encampment of the Third Vermont
Regt., the head quarters Of Gen. Smith and
staff, and little further over the hill on the
slope toward the Potomac is the Second Yer
mont. The Fourth is on our left and rear,
nearer the Bridge, and occupy a small earth
work, by courtesy called fort, with three of
their companies. This brings all our Yer
mont soldiers near each other, which is very
pleasant for us. Across the brook which
passes our encampment is an earth-work,
called variou.ly Fort Smith, Fort Ethan Al
len, and Fort Baker, according to the fancy
of the occupants OF the forces in this posi-
ton, or the regiments that compose them, it
would be improper for me to speak in detail
1t is sufficient to say that all Secessia cannot
force a passage over the Potomac here. We
have no apprehensions of an attack and the
idea of there being danger Of an attack on
Washington. which made some Of US uneasy
at st. Adams, is, with at least, entirely OBJ
solete.
Our Regiment is furnished with the new
fashioned Hackett folding tent, which, bar
ring the fact that the canvas is very poor. is
very good tent, though not equal to the
Sibley tent which was ordered for us, and
with which the Fourth are supplied. We
have abundant rations, of good quality; and
though the want of experienced cooks and
the necessary mperfeotion Of our arrange
ments may come hard on inexperienced men,
there is no cause for complaint.
Col Smalloy and Lieut. Col. Grant are
very well liked, and their popularity is well
deserved, ior they are both excellent officers
Our new Major lrroctor) has not yet taken
up his abode with us. From what we can
learn Of him, however, admitting that il was
necessary to take Lieutenant out of the
Third Regiment for our Major, we think the
selection as good AS could be made. SIX of
our aptains-Cupts. Chandler, Poor, Sheri-
dan, Lewis, Leazur and Dudley--were in the
First Regiment. at Newport News. under
Gen. Phelps. Several Of our Lieutenants. |
do not know now many, were also in the
same Regiment; and one at least, Lieut..
Crane Of the Cornwall Company, was in the
New York Seventh Our Regiment is said
TO be Of superior material. as of course the
members of every regiment say and believe
Of their own regiment. | do not think the
men are quite as heavy, in the average. as
those of the Second and Third, but they are
very orderly and tractable, and of course we
consider them muchFmore than ordinarily in
telligent and courageous. What we should
DO 10 active service remains to be seen.
Ot war news l can give you nothing, for
two very good reasons. The first is that we
know nothing Of the movements of the army
except the very small fraction under our own
immediate observation. To be sure there are
abundant rumors in camp, but camp rumors
are. next 20 newspaper reports, the moss IN
reliable Of all human inventions The other
reason is that if we had any knowledge we
should keep il 10 ourselves for very obvious
reasons Matters move now very quietly,
and our Generals have at least one excellence
that OF not making their plans public We
Shah not have priyates writing heme the de-
tails OF plans, as we did before Bull Run.
"hen We came here we were in the nd
vance posts now we are quite in the rear.
Inc army ar you are we'll aware. ia making
advances, and we have re,aken nearly ali the
ground we lost at Bull Run. When or
where we shall have a battle, or whether we
have one at all, no one knows.
We are getting our Regiment into good
organl. alton for the opportunity we have had
and begin 20 feel like soldiers.
When we first came here we had very chill
y weather, nights quite as uncomfortable as
Vermont autumnal nights, but for the last
lew days we have seen the hottest weather
TINS Year, for as al least. The sacred soil
here does not strike our fancy very much -
me country Is rolling aud the landscape de-
inghlini' II thee were any Of the r. r. W
In this region they have decamped.
Oar troops have cut down large quantities
Of their woods, 10 deprive their spies of Turk
ing places. and we take pleasure in burning
then oas aud hickory in our camp 6ros.