Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-08-16
TFrom the Manchester Journal
A CHARACTERISTIC LETTER
From an Trisnman in the C4stlet0n Co.
OF the 81 1t. Regiment

From an Irishman in the C4stleton Co.
OF the 81 Vt. Regiment
BusH HILL. Fairfax Co..,
July %. 1851.
DEAR FK!ESp TArRICh II received your letter
last night with the greatest pleasure. &c Is the
first word 1 herd from any Of my cid friends since
! have been here; any thing that comes IRON
Vermont seawes worth more 70 me than tie Who'c
southern states. Patricz. YOU asked me if l was
II that fight. On, yes in0ecd, L guess 1 was and
God ouiev knows what n fight We had to; II Wa
one Of the hardest attlss ever fought II was q
very not dav. ana we were very much iurtuiger
On So long a march. but ws fought very orafei
but all IN vain. There was only Z1,ov0 Of our
men. and they had about $4,000, and was rresn
and hid in the woods, and had IS rifel cannon be
hind an be7vv b-~sast-work. We onicy had %
pieces Of cannon. and IN an open field, and after
we got out Of amanati0n VIC was torssd 70 rstreel
for our lives, and let them n possesslo1 q tne
field, aud as the id savages rallied on Us they
run Cur wounded men through with their uavor-
nets. and burned an old house whsT there vas a
good many Of cur wounded clrlcd 20 nave theH
wounds dressed. They took al q tnc advantage
they could. They raised the Stars and stripes
once, and we thought tina, they was going 20 give
up, bgt when We got olo-t up 70 them drlvs1 It
down and raised there d-i-l palmetto, tncr
oreneI uuou US with q vcllcv - grape which
klled about 700 Of The Michigan fIrzt Regiment
aud then run into the wood Icy troE every
wav o. whip u.s.. but We killed m0ys Of tnere uei-
vez. times a. macy. They tried TO surround 4 4,
but did not suce1l They made an atacr on rs a.
we -retu-nca Ir those louc weeds they had q
company u acc llsck horsr 10 D. called
b. BAL horse lsvairy re EIG a
good part oe them. and the rest Wa glad O. Tc-
treat and leave o.. WISH ven had 1rsn there g.
picked ur some Of the swords and revoivers AM
rifu.- picked up az many as / COLD cary out
we hal CO cross over . bridge. and there tacY uae
some cannon that was WORKED by the internal
black El-ar5. and weakened the bridge. and %
broke down with US and we lost or cannon II tn
v-recu. an 7 was iorssd 20 d-1l my Loaf ot stuL.
They killed about 500 ue- IN all. To the bridge
we lost our tents md everything be had ouisy
what wa hal on our back, We marched All tina
night and the next cay tl noon. II commenced
% rain the next morning, and We were 81 Q wet as
a drluncd rat. oar feet wasa soIled Duster an
we Vas SD lame and ri1-L tl4tI could lain down
rr the roadside and died with the greatest pleas
u~-. Veal went to Alcxaudria- We got tose-
--c- and went down 70 Bush Hi last ulgdt,a5Ou.
4 miles from AIczand-1- % emp out and rccIul'
far another frhr. which win be before long We
have beLu for the last weeks wncro money Has
-s I'D Use. we shot hoEs ald COWS a11 rcus an-
rvr- thlnr VIC could get, AID stuck il Oh d STICK
and rested il and eat IL without o-T Eal- n any
bread. but We are IL hopes oi better time nov,
and 7 hope we shall have b5.t 2 time I never
say harG times before, and 1 hope never shall
again, bit j never VIII r-l away Z VlA nSrf
-1l- as i cl-.
Tvs y1u c1lll see soou-e u tie Lerl
they are very poor ana lesu, vita RACED clot1e
a-a nave u9 -oopez on-1otnl1s but q slut ana
an -.- -a.t~ tome dress, H--- t-Cr OF 1r- I-L-e
Nasty y.-1- o-as l4nE Oh e. L-- SIC p1-- --
b u.1- %. AL Ga setting turkey tnlt mas s-
acau- eight weeks on rotten gan they c-l
1.- re-1 U write, live il The woods H. little Oh
... house. AMI -li4- E-u hunt an G1 Az
gamble l-1 drink champaign ara WhIzkey, some
arc married l-- z-l- are u-- married. / I- ~
see any stoves all O them has an Old fashioned
1r--145- 1L- E-- her The w2fc-
here 81 ve-v lo--. Lcl d. 1cl know boT the
country IS clVla U--l woods ULa DID Ul-
olr9a-ols ll---. --- -.u-sr d mostly C-E. white.
Hlw many j. killed from cur Res i uc not
kn5w 4 from cur conpz-- Il o gong O. be
an awful mari I5J 60 whip taeL.I Fe eTe- 1o-GIyc
my best respects 90 al MY acqu-l--l-c-
IL haste. yours truly.