The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-09-14
From the Seat of War.
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE FREEMAN.


The following is a portion of letter from
Capt. Randall, dated " Camp Lyon, Sept. 10th,
1861 The remainder of the letter, an inte-
resting and graphic description Of Virginia as
he has seen it, we shall publish in our Mondays
paper
We have had some excitement here for few
jays past in consequence of the trial of VIM.
Scott of Co. x, Sd Vermont Regiment. (This
is the Calais Company Yonng Scott was found
sleeping on his post as Picket Guard. lie was
sentenced to be shot yesterday. But from tho
nature of the case all the officers in camp pctl-
toned the President to pardon him. This petit
ton was taken to Washington Sunday nightly
the Chaplain, Rev. Mr.. Parmelee The mitiga-
ting circumstance was that Scott stood sentry
the night before for sick mess mate. The
President ordered respite that night, and IN
the morning fully pardoned him.
A thing occurred growing out of this that
will induce me Democratic as amy to vote for
- Abe =" if he is ever q candidate again. The
encampment where young Scott was confined is
about eight miles from Washington, and from
Washington to the encampment there lisa tempo
rary telegraph. The President tesgraphed to the
officer in charge of the execution to stay the
same, it being fixed for early in the morning.
Not hearing from his message the President,
fearing that it had not reached its destination,
or that through some mistake the poor fellow
might be executed, came himself after 10 0 clock
at night to the camp to personally see that all
was right ; but his message had reached its
destination.
To make, however, suitable impression on
the men, the fact Of this pardon was not COM
municaued. and on the next morning all the
reg iments were drawn up in hollow square, and
the arrangements for the execution all made,
and the prisoner brought out to the stand as
though he was to be shot, he or course knowing
nothing of the pardon. He was deadly pale
and shook from head to foot, and was almost I'M
able to sustain his weight After all was ready,
the pardon was read to him in the hearing Of all.
This took great load off from the minds of
that vast crowd, all Of whom sympathized most
keenly with the unfortunate young man, and
they gave vent to their JOY in cheer upon cheer
for the President, that made the land Of Dixie
ring for miles around. But tremble for fear
some of our boys will yet get into trouble in this
that the responsibility of the sentry is great
awfully great when in an enemy s country
This, however. will do them some good. But
it is true that we are kept up SO much nights
that many times it lie almost impossible to keep
FROM sleeping. have seen the boys walking
on their beat regularly when they were 50 COM
plctely asleep that they would not observe my
approach till spoke to them. They would
mechanically execute their duty, but conscious
ness had fed.
Our army is now mostly across the river on
the Virginia side. They were moved over du-
ring last week, and have thrown up strong in
trenchme1ls. The Second Regiment is over
there. | have not been over, as | ain not yet
able. | expect Lleuts Phillips and Crossman
will distinguish themselves III my absence. In
deed, ain told they came very near having
chance u day or two ago. Company A and
Company T aie not with the rest of the Regi-
menu, but are thrown out as an advance, or
picket a Wisconsin Captain, who WAS sta
toned not very far from them, left his Com
pany, and went to a stream to wash and batho
After getting through he started to return, and
was attacked by two cavalry men and four in
fantry men, who it seems we're lurking in the
vicinity. Lie was apparently taken prisoner,
and they ordered him to give up his arms. He
had two revolvers in his pockets, and lie took
them both out at the same time as if to surren-
der them, but with one in each hand, he fred
on them, the first two shots killing two of
them. They by this time discharged their
pieces at him. One ball passed through his
cheek, coming out of his mouth, another
through the breast of his coat, burning the
front to cinder, and another through his hat1
lie, in the meantime, was not idle, and tn ird
shot IRON his pistol emptled one saddle. His
adversares he saw had enptied their pieces, and
could not shoot again until they loaded, and
he sprang for the woods, and run in the direc-
ton of our station. Lieut.. Phillips, hearing
the firing, and suspecting the nature of it.
started with the Capital Guards, under full
run, for the scene. They soon met Capt. Strong
thnk his name was) and on learning the
particulars, pursued until they came out OF the
woods, when they saw the acoundrels maxine
good their escape, with their dead on their
horses, but so far off that they could not prob
ably be overtaken before they would reach tbei,
own lines, and Lieut.. Phillips did not deem his
force sufficient to justify the risk of pursuit.
Last night picket guard from the Goth N.
Y Regiment, who arc stationed near us. were
out and were attacked by u party of Rebels when
a light resulted, in which our fellows killed six
OF their men and took Major, who seems to
nave been with them, prisoner. We had Que
killed and two or three slightly wounded We
are getnng the better of them lately in all of
these raids. and | should think they would get
SICK OF 1t. L hear that volunteers are still
plenty In Vermont am glad to See this I
would ike 1t If had some TWENTY-FIVE able
bodied, plucky fellows for my Company. We
have gol great fight before us, and am cer-
tam don't care how soon, provided VIC are
ready. We have great confidence in Mcclellan
he looks more like General than anything |
have seen. We also think our Gen. Smith mi
be there on the day of trial. Vermont wants tn
make mark, one that will be noted down, and
we will if we have chance. You NAV not
De iully aware of it. but there is no telling how
much difference it makes with men when tho',