Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-05-31
LETrERFRoM FORT MONROE.
Fop, MONROE. Nav 20, 1861.


The Vt Regiment were in camp inside the
water battery, but outside the Fort, till last Fri
day, when we moved around to the West OF the
Fort, into the Hygeis Hotel, house Calculated
to accommodate COCO persons; but we dc not &C.
cnnv fhe whole Of it. Part is used for the Hos
pital; we are packed in room l5xlo, have no'n-
ing but the floor to sleep upon, which ma Is
harder than the ground. The cooking is done OUT
of doors in tents We have to march out, get our
,ictuals and eat them there standing, using our
fingers for knives and forks. Are not allowed TO
eat ANYTHING in our rooms, nor spit or smoke
there: assure YOU we are kept very strict our
food thus far has been hard and soft bread, salt
and fresh beef and pork and beans, and strong
coffee; IT was hard at first, but am getting uss1
to it il weakened me very much at first Tor
could not force food down, but 1 am stronger now.
The Fort is in the form OF heptagon, an lrreg-
ular one having many salient angles, at eacn Oh
which is large Coumbiad. The walls are 30
feet in height and from 40 to IS feet in thickness
and built of granite The top and inside OF the
walls (they slope inwardly) is covered with grass
Store houses, magazines bakery, officers ana sol
ders quarters are built light in the wall and riGu'
bevoud them are classmates The guns OF the iort
are mounted on the top mostly; two or three ne"
ones are mounted every day, and the poorer Of the
old ones are dismountod. Two fatigue parties are
detailed each dsy-one from the s5laierS IN the
fort and one from cur regiment; l assure you Il
;s M easy work to mount those cannon, each
weighing frcm II, 600 to goo pounds. MoItaTs
arc mounted toward the village Of Hampton,
-eadv loaded, 10 shell the town should any demon
strstion be made from that direction Inside tie
fort are barracks officers quarters and other small
tnildinrs built Of wood. The houses have h2e
Gardens and wards filed with flowers and veseta-
bIes. Apples are 50 far advanced hare as to he as
large as good sized plums. Have seen poiatoe
tops one foot high,
The fort covers Is acres; it has hne parade
ground inside, perfectly level. 1t is one and
/ 1uarter miles around outside the wall Is a moa'
/ fftv feet vide and from to Il feet deep. 1t !;
finely stoned up, sides and bottom. II would %
YOU good TO see the masonry, it Is so even and
strong. Extending around the 5. E. E. and y. E
side Of the fort is rcdoub; or water battery IL
which are large number Of classmates, IL which
are mounted heavy y Founders; outside Of this
| Is another moat
There are now 900 guns mounted il aad on tho
fort There are about $500 men be,c, including
our regiment: $50 Of them are regulars. artillery
men.
The fort is surrounded by water save in tSl
rIlces N the beach at the cast and narrow cause
wsy to the north; both places are commsaded by
any number Of the heaviest Of guns cannot
/ ssc how the whole Secession army can take thi:
Fort. There are 10 batteries bearing upon Tie
fort planted yet, nor will they be allovei-bu'
two OF three can be put up. They cam assai
/ it from the sea. as We have supreme command OF
that.
! Two large war vessels are here block4eing; tbs
/ Cumberland Of % guns and the Minnesl Ia Of T.
heavy guns, with three gun boats and tie Harriet
Lane. There are Is OF % small vessels that have
been brought to and taken here, they tried +.
either pass into the river OF bay q Gu Every
dav one OF two are cverbaulei; but a few mo
ments since gun was fred acro-s the t.T- oil
British vessel she was detained
Two gun boats have beer firing into battery
on SeEelis Island SIX mics s'u'n % mere ''i '-
/ lat two days; 1t lie IN sight come oil '-' 'i'-'
4 the 'annonading was quite hil's- assure YOU il
WAS rather exciting to us. cne boy "Ss Aiil'1 OK
our eide. Last night they siI'n'si the 'a' 'Fy
before they Jeff u. Do Lot know d." many were
killed on the other side lou viii lTooaoIy leaia
more from the papers about cur doiass here than
We know ourselves. There are any number Of ~
mors afoat.
Today two companies Of cur regiment were
ordered out win loaded gun aud day's ra'ions'
VIC 90 not know where tAey are intended 20 60
That viii be The first excursion any Of our regi-
ment will have made "orh is beng 1914 cut
fo' us' and you may soon expect u ae@' Of some
lighting about here. uuT boys we're o -'.e III N'''s
70 Dc set over 'n iHa' Island Ahl or''' nc l.'e
ieii'"s-
I"eniJ-e'5l' '' guy iaen are IN ''e h''I ''A- ,