The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-12-20
(Our War Correspondence.)
From the Fifth Vermont Regiment.
CAMP GRIFFIN, Dec. l6, 1861.
WINTER QUARTERS.

From the Fifth Vermont Regiment.
CAMP GRIFFIN, Dec. l6, 1861.
WINTER QUARTERS.
EpIToK CT FREEMAN What steps have been
taken, if any, to move this Regiment or the
Brigade into w inter quarters L know not. Every
day more or less $ sand about it, but SO far as
the Regiment is concerned, nothing ID done. A
new camp-ground has been selected, where tim
bcr and water are more plenty, lumber has been
purchased, General so-and-so has rode out
there and similar reports are afloat in camp
every day, but we arc still here, exposed to all
the bleak winds and storms 0! the early Winter,
our horses and wagons brigaded, and no day
are we more than half supplied with fuel. The
hundreds of acres of timber that sklrted our
encampmcnt two months ago have disappeared,
and the complaint of the Q~uartermaster is that
when teams can be had, he IS obliged to go such
a long distance for wood that 1t Is impossible to
keep q supply on hand, And he is exactly right.
The 81 Regiment 10 all right-they are IN the
timber, and we'll fixed for the Winter be it ever
50 severe. The 18th have lately moved, and are
to-day in possession OF as good a camp ground
as there is in this County. Certainly o more
romantic spot could not be found. 10 all the
charms and comforts of the grove, the forest
and the park, is added the luxury of Il running
stream, and the proximity of a good neighbour
hood where all tho minor wants OF camp can be
provided for. The 9th are well enough where
they are. They came here Quilted and pro
pared for a Winter as well is a Summer cam
paign-and no Regiment this SIDE the Potomac
has anything like tho full, perfect and suhstan-
tial equipments Of the 9th Vermont.
THE EQUIPMENTS OF THE 5Tn.
When the 9Th left Vermont. Gov. Fairbanks
supposed we had The sainc Quilt. His lnstruc-
lions to Davis, who purchased the equipments
of the 9Th, were the same Us those given to
Hatch, who attended to the outfit of the 9Th
IS Buy the Sibley tents and fixtures" was the
order to Davis" " have purchased the Sib-
ley tents, paying $, for the troops, etc, etc"
WAS his response to the Governor, ~hen he had
done no such thing. So we came on here with The
poor tilmsy, lcaky, cotton-umbrella atfai that
no rebel regiment, however destitute of roof &C
ccmmodalions would ever think Of removing,
provided they should fall into their hands. |
will not say that any body made money in the
speculation, the cheat, but if there was any loss,
the State Of Vermont was not the loser. How
ever, loss or gain, the soldiers OF the 5th have
been the sufferers. But to growI or COMPLAIN
is useless now. The State of Vermont has used
us we'll ; the men and women of Vermont have
done IL noble part, but somebody has cheated
and swindled us more than this, somebody has
Specuiated upon the necessities of the soldier,
when arson or murder WouH hare been a crime of
much less eROfmlty.
Now, this is the first complaint ever filed BY
your correspondent, and | presume it will be the
last one, as crawling and fault finding will never
increase our efficiency here, or our reputation as
soldiers at home. | have said this much, how
ever, concerning our tents and the swindle, upon
the authority Of the Governor himself. | co.,
versed with him freely, and what is here said in
relation to the outfits OF tho 5t!. and 9th Regi,
mcnts, Gov. Fairbanks will substant.ate with
documentary evidence. The Sd Regiment is in
Slatu quo, rs bad of Tor tents as il possibly can
be, and when, how, or where that Regiment is
to secure Winter quarters is mot known.
THE" ON 70 RICHMoN - CRY.
We hear Of an advance of the rebel picko.s,
their videts being seen this side of Vicnna.-
Should this prove true, We may have some brisk
skirmishlng soon, il not an open field fight. Both
armies e~videItly want to fight we believing
that if we cannot whip the enemy here we can
not anywhere willie they think exactly the
same thing, and le OF to every strategy to draw
10 lulc al CbSuSCiuSht. Dut i IlnNe no lCea
that they viii succeed. We arc not here to
light, as many Of you seem to think. If the
Army Of the Potomac can only keep the Rich
mond forces from mori"y South, (and they GER
cannot go while w are here.) in less than
thirty days Uncle Sam will have an army "away
Town South in Dixie Filing Johnny Bull's
with cotton, teaching school for the poor
aud giving cut treasure by the acre:
piJuIf!HTH the pCorlp SnstnIp nc in tIn t.li,f
Congress is ueilher the army Or a 9 military
\. field officer remarked to me this
that Congress certainly should d,reci
he war thought not, and three =. several"
| distinctly told him that ! didn't see it
N that light. Johnny Bull and King Cotton
sonld like nothing better than 10 see the army
IF the North rccI,ng and staggering under the
'~ross-fire Of Congressional ChieftMns. War IL
science, hat Legislative Halls, Senate Cham
and Cabinet Parlors are not the army lab
ui this or any other nation. The COM
nittee room ie an excellent place for claims and
and the lobby for bonds and checks.
shells, shots, swords and soldiers have their
,wn orbits and their " laws. independent of
my lao making power on earlh. understanding
;his-and the prattling child Gun do so-it is easy
10 see that when danles are fought in defence OF
his Union, its Constitution and laws, everything
chile or hak that takes the sword, or IS a sword
gains! us, must ''perish with the sword -
is neither a gentle or very merciful thing.
IN many respects it Is like a mighty river-our
Father o. Waters" in the beautiful
larger, deeper, broader and more des-
'ruc,ive and terrible at It's mouth than Il, it's
source. Why. it is not "a twelyemonth since the
who are now in arms would not be-
lieye that Il WAY was possible, and now We find
fully up to our homely sim,le, and bidding