Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-02-14


We went to the famous Munson's Hill,
ON which the rebels at one time i:i::7enched,
and which they left 50 suddenly. The
area within the earth-work which they
threw up. is only about three-fourths of
an acre. This hill is no higher than
many other hills in the immediate vicin-
ity. Indeed, the federal forces have never
thought it worth their while to occupy 1t,
but have chosen two or three other hills,
all within mile, / should think. am
not at all surprised that the northern
part of Virginia was selected as q battle
ground, by the rebels. The surface of
the earth is SO adapted to intrenchments,
that hills as good as Munson's lie within
a mile of each other, so far as we went.
The timber, mostly white oak, has been
cut down for thousands and thousands of
acres, which was greatly needed for the
use of the inhabitants; but ambushing
must be stopped. One who has not trav-
eled in that country, will be greatly sur
prised, Notwithstanding all he may have
heard and read about it, to find in coun-
try so old, so few good habitations, and,
indeed, habitations of any kind. 1t
looks very singular, indeed. when COM
pared with the northern states. And as
for barns, | saw but one decent one the
other side of the line, and that was being
used for hospital. t.., ,.... ...
On our return from Falls Church, we
met the N. Y. seth Reg, just coming in
to a new encampment. The most ad-
vanced teams we're just entering the en-
camping ground, and the teams stretched
along in the road for half mile or more
The teams were all six-mule teams and,
as in passing them, we came to the hind
ermost, we found them almost literally
crawling right in the mud. The men
were struggling away behind for three or
four miles without any order or attempt
at it, in moving Indeed too many of
them were to drunk to make it possible
They had come about twelve miles that day
and through Washington. Most of them
padded along through the mud, seeming
to be as we'll satisfied with that kind of
travel as any. Some lay along by the
side of the road, and now and then one
was down. tasting the sacred soil" 1t
was then near night, and not tent raised.
Some of these eight or ten hundred men
must have suffered much that night,
though the weather then, and all the
while we were there, was much like the
last of October here. a
The movement of this regiment was
enough to demonstrate with what difficult
ty an advance from the Potomac could be
made at that time. r., ... anal
We called, on our way back, at the
general hospital of Camp Griffin, which is
a good-sized two-story house, on one side
of the road, and barn on the other. We
we're in hurry, and Of course our atten-
ton was mainly directed to those of our
boys with whom We were acquainted. The
quarters seemed to be comfortable, though
necessarily somewhat crowded. Having
stopped one night more in camp. we we're
conveyed back to the Capital in an ambu-
lance, furnished, as before, by Commissa-
ny Stone, who, we, noticed. was, by his
kindness, winning golden opinions on all
hands.
The greatest pleasure we experienced
while in camp, was the meeting of so
many Of our acquaintance, who seemed
to be so glad to see us, and to hear some
thing fresh from home. The state of the
fields was such that we could not see one
thing that We desired much to Witness
a grand drill. We noticed particularly.
that a very great change had taken place
f. in the sentiment in relation to Colonel
Whiting. We were assured, by many,
that he is now regarded as the most pop.
ular Colonel in the Vermont Brigade, and
then the soldiers Of the regiment under
his command, are getting up sword to
present. to him. Of great value.
The same day we visited Camp Instruc-
ton, Col. Berdan's sharp.shooters, though
they then had nothing to shoot with, and
it was uncertain when they would have
Though the most Of our boys there seen
; A 4