The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-11-06
Geueral Davis and the Soldiers "a Soldiers
View of the Generals Report.
CAMp GRIIEIN VI

CAMP GRIFFIN, Virginia, Nov. |, 1901.
FRIEND WILLARD:-l have written you occa-
sionally as an editor, allow me now to address
you rs a State Senator and a IN n. | have
never complained to any great extent, of our
suffering or abuses, for | hoped the State of
Vermont would not need my complainings, be-
fore they would set us right, especially when it
was fully known there how much we suffered
and how much W were abused. Zone the less
anxiously did | watch indications in tae papers
of individual and legislative action in the direc-
ton of relieving US, and how did my fast fading
pride in my native State swell when saw that
Gen. George f. Davis was appointed an espec-
ial agent to visit us and make known to those
anxious and waiting to aid us to any extent, our
needs, and how thankful was | when | saw him
drive into our camp went to him, shook his
hand, and told him how much | wished to talk
with him, the honor of my State was to be so
nobly indicated, and | inwardly censured those
who had so indiscreetlv and loudly complained.
1t is true he hal promised us only Il day or two
after we arriN q at Camp Lyon, or about three
months ago, t,at we should have new uniforms
as quickly as they could 10 made, but | had
heard he had had trouble with the Governor
and he might have been unable to redeem his
promise, but now with tho whole power of the
State, delegated to him by its delegates, all suf-
ierlngs were to be done away at once. Judge
then of my surprise my chagrin when after
only thirty minutes spent in our camp during
the whole time he was here, without asking one
officer or man what we needed, without setting
foot in the company grounds, or darkening the
door of Il single tent, or but for five minutes,
beng out Of his carriage, he telegraphed his
unjust, unchristiaa, unmerciful telegram | read
in your paper. Are we suffering? Before God
[ have and then had men in my company with
out a pair Of pants, a pair of drawers or a pair
| of socks, with merely a pair of thin ~ovcralls in
which to stand guard and picket during nights
so cold that water fr0ze in my wash basin 80
thick that could turn it over without losing a
drop of the water. Again it is a solemn fact
that night after nightm N men have been driven
from their tents by cold, unable to sleep, as early
as eleven o'clock and lave shivcred around a cook
fire Of green chestnut wood until morning. 1t
is true, 50 help me God, that the tents VIC row
have, are close unventilatcd, ana 80 poor is the
material that when tAe rain is driving the men
are unable To keep dry, and in the tent in
which write this, | cannot keep Il light burn
ing when the wind is hign.
That the State Of Vermont would 81 Use US
We little dreamcd when We enlisted to fight her
battles. Quite a number Of the men have
clothes in So dilapidated a condition that it is
fortunate for us no women are allowed to conf
panies this side Of the river for d~ecencv's slke.
Full two thirds of the sickness CT the regiment
may he attributed to the facts | above state
and it is lucky the raggede5t ones do not have
the fever and ague or they would soon diyest
themselves, during one CT their shaking fleils,
Of the last ycstige Of Vermont s4oddy. We can
fight to the last bitter gasp for tic honor OF
our dear native stat2,-iet n rnot lose oar love
in her abuse to Us. We care not VIXEN om
General tells us he will have ua all in he'll
within three months or that he will work
the Vernon. Tnird to the utmost extent Of hui
man endurance but We do care when we suf-
fer, yes suffer, by the acts Of Vermont.