Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-09-02

the usual evening calls were beaten and all was
as usual to q distant view. But our men were
ordered to lie down with equipments and every
thing ready t0 leave in few moment notice.
At midnight they were quietly ordered to fall
IN, and so Systematic was the conduct that
within an hour all our infantry was on the
move
At an earlier hour in the evening" the first n.
f. Cavalry proceeded down to the Rapidan,
pitched their tents, threw out pickets and made
every preparation for picket duty, as though
they had the fullest confidence OF remaining tor
4 considerable length Of time. There they 10
malned until the advance OF the rebel plckets
indicated that the enemy was on the move. Our
horses were saddled, and in the shortest possible
time the cavalry was slowly retiring before the
advancing rebels. They thus went back until
they were joined by the lst Maine and New
Jersey cavalry regimen who were also acting
as a rear guard when they proceeded through
Culpepper several hours behind our main force
and again went into camp naif way to the Rap
pahann9ck, throwing out pickets and remaining
until the following night This was Tuesday
On passing through C'lpepper ii was found
that the move had been thorough. Everything
of value was removed, save "a small amount that
1t was found necessary to destroy On account Of
not being deemed of sufficient amount 10 war
rant trouble IN transportation. About one nun
dred and fifty wounded--the wo.s' cases, who
were not in a condition TO be moved. we're left
iu Culpepper, with SIX surgeons and sufficient
provision for their comfort. This was unayOId-
able on account Of the mpossibllty OF removing
them IN their weak state.
taJ tbat J. al an
enemy 10 our midst As our rear guard was
falling back near Culpepper, they met an ambu-
lance proceeding sOuthward. The driver was
que. toned as to hls intentions when he SAID he
WAS sent down 10 get some sick soldiers IN the
rear The springs Of the ambulance being pretty
well set the suspicion vt some Of our troops was
attracted, and upon 'xaminatlon It was found
the ambulance was loaded to It's fullest capacity
with quinine, morphine, surgical instruments,
and such other articles Of medical and surgcal
use as 'he rebels are greatly in want Of The
driver was ordered 10 pu. about, and Is now
safely quartered where he can give az expana-
| ton Of bis conduct at some future day.
/ The three cavalry regiments above referred to
who were posted 10 the rear OF our centre, were
not ntriered with Wednesday night until very
/ late, when their pickets were driven IN by the
advancing enemy. Three Of the Maine boys,
two Of the Rhode Island portion Of the New
/ England regiment aud several of the New Jer-
sey regiment were here wounded but were saved
aud taken away to our hospitals. Our camp
which was simply the accommodations Of a
/ biyouac, was soon left, and the rear guard soor
afterwards crossed the Rappahaunock, wher,
our forces were busiy preparing to check The
euemy's advance
Oar right under cen Sig-l proceeded IN a
uorta-Wcstsrly direction ia retiring, so as %
cross the rlverat Sulphur springs, seven or light
mile, ron the point at which am writing. OI
course Geu Siee's movements were well con-
Quoted rhe reader will iee assured OF chat
without t, ing written fle reached Sulphur
Sprugs without any material incident, ana wa,
showing defiant lont Yesterday. To-day ht
Is fighting, and am just informed has caused
the attacking party to retire beture hls wei
served artillery.
Your correspondent who was with the ex-
reme lett on Monday night, was more cognimni
OF the movements ot those forces under Gen
Reno, that are detached rom Gen. Burnside
immediate command The left had the longest
and most severe march, for we were TO proceed
on the road through Steyensburg, and occupy
ioriS halt the distance between Culpepper and
fredericksburg We started at clock on
Tuesday morning, the baggage tram having
been sent around on another road, AS It was AN
ticipated our retreat might be intercepted by
LongstGeet, who was known to be not tar from
Racoon Ford. We passed within mile o
Longstreet'o outposts between two and thre,
clock in the morning. Gen. Reno here u. ed
the utmost vigilance, tor had our purpose been
known 10 the enemy our movements would have
been anything but agreeable Suffice il to say
that when We arrived at the cross road on which
were stationed the nearest outposts OF tn, enc
my, our General found several of those vigiant
aud faithful servants of our country, whose du
ty IT Is to penetrate the enemies lines and
watch hs movements, and through them learn
ed that although the rebel pickets were being
thrown ID, there was no prospect of
general movement that night.
Our march was rapid, but the soldiers en-.
dured it equally as well as they did the sever,
trial of the week previous. One portion of oui
forces arrived on the river at kelley's ford ut
o clock in the afternoon the others who wen
u Burnnett's ford, eight miles toward Fredcr
icksbur5, and over twenty-nino miles from oul
starting point, arrived about dark on ruesda,
evening. At Burnuetts the Sth Massachusetts
battery which was IN advance was immediately
posted on a commanding hill, and with others
was ready 20 cover the crossing OF the troops /
they were pressed by the enemy, hut there wa
no trouble that night On the following morn
ing your correspondent went eight miles up tn
river to Kelley, ford, and found the troop
there also very strongly posted and ready TO
an attack, though DO demunstmtion in fore
had then been made. During the day the enc
my :, advance discovered themselves IN the dis
tance, and few shells were thrown to dispers
them. They, however, succeeded in captGrn
Two of our plckets and killing another, al
three of whom were Of the 9TH n j cavalry
That night an attack was expected, and Gu
men lay on their arms all night, but there wer
no signs of the enemy up t0 a late hour in til
morning, when the writer lett.