The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-10-03
Our War Correspondence
From the 5th Vermont Regiment.
MERIDIAN HILL ENcAMPMENT, WAsuINGroN,


of file Of FrecmQnS, reminds me of one of my
last engagements, viz. : Il letter for its columns
Though atigued and still busy with the execu-
tive duties Of my subordinate position, you
must accept of u very hasty production, and
wait patiently for a more finished and interest
Ing communication.
The soldiers of the 9Th are done with rail
roads and steamboats,, and like the veterans Of
Napoleon, must now rely upon their legs for
further movements; and If they ever expect to
become soldiers, fit and ready for all kinds Of
special service they most depend more upon
these same legs to gain a reputation Tor the
Regiment, than upon muske5 or cartrdge.-
Forced marches and double-quick surprise at
tacks gained the great victories OF the First Con-
sui, and from al that | can learn, the grand
army of the Potomac is being schooled Tor the
same kind of fighting. Night and day regi-
mrnts are on the march, our young commander
evidently believing that fatigue is better for sol
diers than rest. And SO it is. But that is his
business and not ours, and the more he does Of
it, the better for us. BY the way, we have just
had our first march, from the = retreat - in
Washington to this camp, some three miles,
and judging from the condition of my own feet
aud legs, and the general limping that | have
seen III camp, am satisfied that we can never
be soldiers TIL these legs are trained. So much
for legs.
The last Thursday of September has come
the day recommended by the President of the
United States, as u day Of * Fasting and Prayer :"
by the people To-day we invoke the hand Of
our common Lord and Father to stay the calam-
tiles that enshroud our common country 1t is
rlght-and it IS q duty too often neglected by
people and rulers-to look to the fountain of
all power and Of all goodness. and to confess
our sins and shortcomings as people, iniplor-
ing His interposition and His saving power over
the Republic. 1t isl too, sublime spectacle
thus to look upon q great Nation giving up all
their power, their pride of heart, their reliance
upon their own strength, their armies and their
ships OF war-and acknowledging their depend
ence upon Him who - holdeth the winds in His
fists, and before whom armies are as stubble,
and the armed man as grass which the fire con
sumeth.' 1t is in time Of peril, of great dis
aster and public calamity, that the latent spirit
of worship and faith manifests itself as living
in the hearts of all men. On such occasions it
IS, that the divinity implanted in the human
heart speaks out, procams its existence in our
common humanity, and vlndicates it's origin, its
Immortal derivation. How gratifying then it
49, to know that today, from the Atlantic to
the Pacific Seas and would that could also
say from the Lakes to the Gulf-a common
prayer las gore up to our common Father for a
common Union-that millions have united in
common supplication for the restoration Of
peaceful, fraternal, and national feeling, that
all wrongs may DO done away, all injustice
cease, and al! the blessings youchsafed us by our
fathers remain to gladden. the hearts Of the pco-
pie. | have heard no prayer myself, but |
know that nation has thus prayed, and ana
only sorry thatmy own supplcuuon has not and
cannot BE- heard
We are not yet in the enelny'S Countrywide
National Capitol that We are toassist in protect
ing is in full view. | visited it's Halls to-day,
and had 4 thousand reflections tn t cannot be
condensed into Il newspaper colum". But to-
MORO" we may be On the march, indeed, y y
Since the above was written we have marched,
and to-day, (Sunday the 29th) We are one and
half miles west and Il short distance south Of
the Chain Bridge, -wthin range Of rebel can
non, and close upon their pickes. Oar march
here was done on the night of the 9th, through
mud and rain and darkness, and if we remain
- during the war We cannot, as our Colonel
informs us, have more fatiguIng march.
VI our position and surroundings | can say
nothing. Suffice it to say that We are close up
on the entertainments OF treason, with every
prospect of soon displaying the colors Of the
gallant 9th before the batteries and DattaliOns
of treason, and every soldier OF the regiment is
anxious for such display. Last night thousands
went out for u purpose. To-day We hear the
roar Of cannon and a fight is going on. This
morning a private of the Cameron Dragons
was brought into our camp, having been Killed
IN last nights skitmish lie was the first vic
tim OF treason that most of us had seen, and
his PROSTATE form fairly electrified every Yer.
lnonter who bchcld him. Orders are still being
loSued-and troops are constantly moving west
ward, amt when an order comes for this green
but gallant Regiment to move, TIE valley en-
campncnt will resound with huzzaS ouch as Yer
mont boys alone can give
There is bat LITTLE sickness in camp, and that
little arises morc from fatigue than anything
else. With one or two exceptions the coulmund
is perfectly satisfied with their Regimental off
GERS, and presume that tefore long there will /
be no exceptions. The military and executive !
duties OF Il Regiment are Of course new to many
OF our officers but when they become familiar |
With them, and know what soldiers want and
expect. am satisfied there will be no fault find
ing. For one, do not expect to :. grOwl,' /
butio 90 all that can for the Regiment and !
to eat exactly what is set before me. which up
to this writing has been good, wholesome meat
and bread, and, as the Hooser woman once in
formed your correspondent, - strong, bare back
coffee.
have not as yet given you as many details
asI expected to, but my letter IS sufficiently
long, ana as Adjutant Brown has Just detailed
me Tor special service over d lot of papers that
he holes IN his hands. you must wait or fur
thcr orders before you hear again from
Yours, &c. SEE SEE Ess
-t -~-.----
The Sixth REGIMENr.-The Roxbury Com