The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-05
(Our War Core >pondence)
From the Fifth Vermont Regiment.
CAMP WINFIELD SCoTT, April %, Is

Mr.. WILLARD Il have not written for spve
raj days, and was not intending to do SO thi
morning, for really have nothing worth com
muncating but the day is lowry and unpleas
ant, and unless l do write, time will pas
heavily.
We are still engaged building that battle
ground spoke OF IN u former letter, our Divis
Ion doing 'he - heavy ana pelllous WORK spoX
en- OF by New York correspondent. Some
days, however, we get spelled, and have nothing
more to do than our regular camp duty, whict
at this time happens TO be very light Las
thursday was one vi these days, and in company
with Capt. b. visited several brigades and regl
ments, the 7th Michigan among the rest, wher,
we found Il Sutler With a small stock of "sup
plies. You have heard about - brass anc
"cheek, and how they take u man through
this world. Well, without money and no let
ters OF credit, we Obtained by virtue OF the aiore
SAID ''cheek," quite a little stock of soldier s
supplies, such as paper, ink, tobacco, butter
etc., etc, and If the paynaster ever comes round
the sutler shall be promptly rewarded. Return
Ing home with our package, we passed through
the Tooth Pennsylvania regiment. The men
were mostly foreign born, bus stalwart and fine
looking soldiers. Thinks to myself, Vermont
Is II game and proud little State, but what would
the lO6th Vermont regiment be And | could
think Of nothing but old men and women, spec
tacles, snuh-boxes, and canes, for | well knew
that all the pretty girls and lasses would be en-
rolled long before the "mustering in of the
second score.
Arriving home, l received notice to ICON
vene at the Ad)utant S quarters, as an appoint
ment OF Chaplain was to be made by vote of
the line officers. There were several applicants
ia, I,r o+l,o
there was some right smart electioneering done.
Being the junior officer present, my name was
called first, and was very glad OF it, as it gave
NE an opportunity to present my own nominee,
together with my reasons for 50 doing voted
for Father Druon, Of Montpelier, simply re-
marking that | knew of no pastor in Vermont
who would look after the welfare of our soldiers,
not only OF this regiment, but Of the general
camp, more vglantly than he. There were
eleven votes given, with the following result -
Sor Rev. Mr.. Dickinson Of Proctorsville, Col
Grant and Capt Hose,-2. For Rev. Mr. Hall
OF Brandon, Capt. Dudley, Capt Stowell, Capt.
Jennie, Capt Lewis and Capt son,-5.-
For Father Druon Of Montpelier, Capt. Chand-
Ter, Capt. Sheridan, Capt. Seager, and your
correspondent There was, of course, no
choice. The second ballot was taken with the
same result. Finally, after quite spirited con-
Sultation, vira roce ballot was taken, which
resulted in the election of Mr.. Hall OF Brandon
He is an Episcopal clergyman, and very highly
spoken OF by his friends III the regiment. There
is no better field for the labors and example of
q minister OF Christ than the encampment of
regiment of soldiers but there are very few
men who know enough OF human nature to labor
to advantage among troops. hope, however,
that Mr. Hall, should he accept tic appoint
ment, will show himself to be what his friends
claim tor hin-a man among men, and an in
dustrous minister OF Christ.
Long, long ago,-sone time last fall, when
See. See. Ess. first got his name in the papers,
tthat amt Buncomo, Mr.. Reader,) | told you
about picket duty, and If mistake not, between
myself and the rest Of your "war correspou-
dents" there has been some exceedingly tall |
yarns told about that service. But the subject
is not exhausted, and since we have got ..away
down " here IN Dixie, those long anu tall yarns !
about picket around camp Griffin seem very |
mild and Insignificant, and between you and : |
begin to believe that most OF them were true |
L an not sure. but guess that Capt r. of the |
Second, gnve that service as big lift as it ever
got, when he took his friends out in The mud |
over their boot tops to see the pckets, side |
shows and all. But his picture was by no means
overdrawn, and should the Captain happen to |
SEQ this correspondence, shall certainly expect
his endorsement of the following remarks about |
the same service on the Peninsula
On Friday last, in the afternoon, five compa-
nies from this Regiment went out on picket, our
duty simply being to support the batteries by
day, and protect our front from any surprise at |
night 10 do this our men were posted in con-
cealed positions as close up to the enemy as pos
slole-so close, In many instances, that their
conversation could be heard, but not understood |
cannot at this time give you much geography
about our position, but presume every ons of
your readers is we'll enough posted about that
to understand anything that may be written, Tor
the papers have been filled with diagrams,
charts, &C., showing this same thing. All Fri
day night, and up to three o'clock Saturday at
ternoon when we were relieved, it rained. 1t
rained very hard, and the mud made very fast.
Ii was in the right vein would expatiate on
this mud little, but 1t makes very little differ
ence with US, mud Or no mud. We expect 1t,
and care and fret less about it than an old maid |
would over Il halfpenny advance in the price of |
snuff. But, there we were, about three hun
bred of US, loungng, loafng, tramplng round
in the mud and rain, now and then shooting at |
q rebel, and now and then getting shot at, the
little bullets hitting in some tree near by, and |
attracting no more attention than loater in u
bar-room. We were on, over and behind little
rise of ground in the rear of Wheelers battery,
"a very picturesque place, by the way with It's
tall pines, shady oaks, and blooming wild fruits
have seen very many scenes in the army that
l would like very much taken on canvas, but
never one that would please more than our
picket knoll on Saturday morning. Anything