Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1861-06-20

was written to some friends in this State, and
not intended for the public eye; but we have
been kindly permitted to transfer it to our
columns on account of the interesting recital
of many incidents connected with the recent
affair at Bethel, not found elsewhere.
CAMP BUTLER,
Newport News, Va, June II, 1861.
DEAR FRIENDS Since last wrote YOU
/ have been in the battlefield, and seen the
darker horrors ofwar as | never realized that
| should. On Saturday 7. NJ. received
peremptory order TO report Immediately at
this place. nobody however left until Sun
day at p NJ. | arrived here at ; and re-
ceived orders Immediately TO prepare for
march and report to Surgeon Saville Of the
4th Massachusetts at midnight. Immediate
ly prepared my Hospital knapsack and de-
tailed George Lincoln of Pittsford 10 carry il
-preferring if were not to return, to have
a tOwnsman to see the last Of me-, and carry
any last words | might have to those hold
dear. | there wrote you in view of the worst
gave the letters to Mr. Sanborn and Law
down, not daring to 90 10 sleep, for fear /
might not be ready, as We were TO start in ST.
lence,l smoked my pipe and read little: soon
We were ordered out The men were very
quiet and orderly-not more 50 on dress pa
rade when you saw them last. From our
Regiment were taken the even numbered
Companies, viz p Woodstock, 4 Bradford,
6 Mortified, 8 Burlington, 10 Rutland. A
similar arrangement was made with the other
Regiments, making our detachment TO con-
sist Of the Vermont, Mass lchusetts. Steuben
Volunteers, and eth \. Yin all about
1900. Not man of Us knew where we were
going or what we were 10 do. Sanborn
had offered me his horse but Sayille said he
was going on foot and so | reluctantly gave
up the idea of riding.
We filed through the sally port in the
administrators the wheat-feld beyond our
ramparts and into the woods. on, on We
marched IN silence through the fofest, into
meadow and now a wide field OF corn
our way mostly being over a country perfect
" levei-dry and dustv-though now and
then we wallowed in a slough as we passed a
springy place. We passed very few houses,
one saw-mill however, and one or two planta-
tion-, where the dogs bayed the alarm 10 the
deserted hearth stones. 1t wa a weary road,
though nothing TO the horrors Of our return.
Soon the day began TO dawn and the birds
TO welcome the light with their ioyous carols,
all unconscious Of the coming woe Il grew
lighter, and Ist in the gray twilight when all
was inlstinct as We passed large and
splendid mansion, having just filed past a
road debOuching into our way,-crack went
a rifle from the house and Sergeant Sweet
of the Woodstock Go. called out a miss
Is as good As mile" heard the whistling
bullet and rushed toward him Al A ~ 40 gait"
finding that the bullet had entered aud passed
through the left side Of his pants. Just missing
the skin. Adiutant Stevens and a party Of
Germans rushed for the house. a. did the
writer, when. in the direction Of the cross
road, we heard a rafting yolley OF musketrv
and instantly the peal ofcannon. | then knew
nay duty laid in that direction rather than a.
the house for there were enough there.
waited only a moment. when came the order
in the clarion tones of Col. Hashburu (cou4-
manding the expeit tom
Attention Battalion, Front iace-bv the
right flank iic iett-doub'e quick-.aarch,T
and back VIZ started. I ran at the top 81 nv
speed; s0cn however the firing cea,.i: II was
perhaps a quarter Of a mile that ~ kept UP
that killing pace. and bv the time We reaa he'd.
where | found one fed piece planted. up the
cross road. from nearly the rear Of the col
umn / had gained the front. What haI
happened. no one seemed 10 know TOR lew
mir utes. the men come ordered into the corn
tAA 30 -4E fy sDA1 i4f d. A41t- t4N@~4aI OF at
roais than the hospital hous-. ana foraeI
the line Of BATH; in the road stood our two
brass fell pieces, and around them the Ar,il
leri,'s Of the regular army. Presently Lieut.
GrrDbie. Of the 4th Artillery L. \ Army
gallOped up 20 me and whispered Ny Col
il Is hOrrlJ.-.-thc detachment iron the Fort
ress and one Of our own have been ex-hang-
fire, and heaven knows what has haDpcued '
In a moment Co. Washburn 2al!oped NJ and
( ordered me TO proceed up the road 10 the
house / have marked as the hospital. 10 at
tend to the wounded men. SaviiIe was some
way behind, but came up soon after reach
ed the building. The first sight | saw was
one of the Albany Regt. living il an Epilep-
tic fit by the side Of the road. hi mouth foil
of froth like Int. couldn't stop for him.
though he was terribly convulsed: | ran on
and found a small white house with porch
in front; the first | saw was a man moribund.
shot through the bladder; another alongside
him shot in the upper third of the thigh
entering the hall, lay boy OF l9,with ball
IN his knee, alongside another with the head
of his thigh bone broken; similarly and in the
kitchen, another with shot in the knee Joint.
Two more who had fallen and been trampled
upon, lay IN another room. All the wounded
were bleeding terribly, except the man shot
/ III tnc O4duucT. Eedily Was not eIcNfd al
all, never for a moment lost ma head as the
French say, but put on the tournidue;s
as carefully and quickly as possible Saville
was there before | finished and we made
thorough examination, finding two anputa-
tions at the hip joiat necessary. two OF the
upper third Of the thigh, and one at the
knee, beside the man shot through the blad-
der, whom nothing could save. Oh! my dead
father and sister-mine was a pretty rough
introduction to the duties of field surgeon
(When we finished what we could do Tor the
poor fellows then, for it was of course out OF
the question to perform such grave operations
when we had no time to remain, for we were
ordered on our way,) | went out into the
yard for drink of water and some air. The
sun had just risen on one OF the loveliesr
mornings ever seen, the air was full of the
perfume of flowers and the songs of BIRDS