The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-12-09
From the Third Vermont Regiment

/
loaded with the illusions of correspondents at
l." the seat Of war; signed by every conceivable
transposition Of the letters of the alphabet, and
telling, each one for himself, his story, in every
possible shape, and by the time my lily written
letters from the seat of war" reach the COM
positors hands, the neaos is old, and the whole
thing--o use vulgarism-is run into the
ground.
| The seat Of war is often mentioned. l hardly
know why it is, in general, called so, but can
easily see the appropriateness Of the term when
applied to the armies of the Potomac, for war
seems very comfortably seated here, with no near
prospect of its inactivity becoming other than
chronic It assumes more the character of q
mighty sotv fever, with certain Indications of
consumpton-of army stores of all kinds, save
ammunition. Skirmisbing parties are sent out !;
sometimes they see an enemy, sometimes not
If one is seen, the hight of their ambition is to
'retire in good order" This retiring in good
order is getting chronic too, except in some
cases, that are hardly getting to be exceptions,
where Stuart's cavalry very kindly escorts them
to Richmond, via Fairfax, Centervile, ETC., (for
plan of route see Colton's County Map of Viz
ginia.) Sometimes large parties 60 out, five or
SIX regiments, a squadron or two Of cavalry. and
q section Of artillery. Toward night We see
them making a most magnificent. advance on
Chain Bridge. endeavoring to coax II some TWEEN
ty-fve Of the above named Stuarts cavalry
where they may be surrounded.
Theie ia something peculiar about war. It
varies slightly from the metred and rhymed ac-
counts Of il. 1t reminds me of two BOYS, one
afraid and the other very much scared trying
to conceal their own fears, and by menacing
gestures and advancing toward each other, try
ing to increase the fright of the other. If one
succeeds and the other "retres in good order, -
he tells it among his comrades and boasts of the
magnificent victory gained land boy No. is great
makes speeches from school-house steps, and
is treated TO NUS and apples. Boy No. ., among
has friends, boasts that he was opposed by a su-
perior force, aud retired in good order Boy
No. being absent, boy No. 2 steals some Of his
apples, and boasts Of successful foraeing OK
petition. And thus the war continues until one
or the other is unable to retire in good order, -
and they make up" shake hands anl hate
each other forever afterwards.
There is soldiers funeral in sight of nv
tent door. The soldier came from u con(orta.
Bile, happy home. Two brothers, noble fellows.
but too young to enlist, w,re his paymatcs. A
sister, Older, but yet in her teens, was bis kind
companion IN his home away up IN the Green
Mountains, father was proud of his boy A
mother wep. when he left, to expose his Young
life to the dangers of bullet and disease. while
she packed in his little bundle u Testament and
pair Of warm Stockings. He has died and
eight Of bis companions with reversed arms are
followed by what remains of him, carried by
BIZ more OF MS companions, to the grave dug in
the hillside, three volleys are fired, the dir: il
thrown In, rough board stuck in the mound
and the lips of the boy brothers will culver.
mother and sister will drop hot tears, and the
father turn sorrowfully away when they read
the simple announcement Of his death. |. is
noble to die in the cause Of your country, but
broken hearts sometimes fjllow. Il is glorious
to die in battle, striving for your country, but
the loved ones at home weep.
They tell me you have sleighing in Vermont.
that the Legislature adjourned without passing
any laws, and that there were in that Lecisa.
iatnro, members with souls 50 small that for a
mere pecunary consideration Of seven dollars
per month 10 each man enlisted. have laid them.
selves open to the accusation by our soldiers
here, shat Vermont has played It pretty trick on
them. After getting them 10 enlist with the
expectation Of receiving twenty dollars per
month for three years, while comfortably seated
over your tires in waym Eouses with plenty of
warm clothes, the State has matched 10 the con-
temptible plan Of cheating them out Of the ex-
ira seven dollars Tor the third year. Isrwentv
dollars month TOO much? Will any one of
you come FOR five times that amount? No.
We are as good as you, better if you chea. u,
out Of seven dollars per month Look at the
hollow cheek, sunken eye, ard hear through al
tine night The continued cough, look over on til.
hillside where are many heaps of moId-twen
ty in one month from tie Vermont Fifth. Cud
die over your VAIN fires and cheat US out O
our part % tic bond. We give life, health
all, for twenty dollars per month, and yo,
think it worth only thirteen. We ar
as good as you. We have dear ones a