Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-12-12

The next morning after our arrival at
Richmond. we learned that there was some
trouble with she boat. and they could not
take us down the river. The next daY we
we-c tod there was no boat there and they
were waiting for one to come up. Ne e had
70 endure this delay. The next day we were
told that there was no bat down the river,
that they We're not expecting any, that our
Government had broken of the exchange.
Il was q crushing blow t) all. To get as
~ supposed almost TO our lines, and then
60 be flung back into despair.
We remain d in the hospital a while, and
we're then tlken - a store house. They had
lust removed from it ljt Of pork and hams,
and the El.h was twJ inches thick on the
fo)r.
Ii was atou, 40 feet by 30, the space
we occupied. Here were our cooking appa-
ratus, sink, wash room, sleeping room and
promenade. There was no means Of vsntil-
at.ng it but by two windows that opened on
the canal \ hospital on one side, guard
room on the other, and a horse stable under
meath. NJ need to multiply words-it was
too filthy and unhealthy for hogs.
Here we remained, enduring insults, prI-
yations aud sickness until they were Obliged
to send Us south to the tune Of Yankee can
non. This was the same "black hole into
which they afterwards thrust POpe's off
Gers.
While here we learned much Of rebel
movements They had all along expected
Mcclellan would 20 to the Peninsula. So
certain were they, that they had defended i,
with 500 cannon, and leit undelended both
the routes l.om Manassas and Freiericks-
burgh.
At the time the Merrimae was destroyed,
our cunboats could have come straight to
Richmond. They owned it themselves
The obstruetions had not been filed across
the channel. Fort Darling had not its guns
mounted ammunition had not gone 70 the
batteries, and they felt that Richmond was
lost. All the government money. papers, doc
uments. &c, were sent to Columbia, s. c.,
and jeff DSvls and family went to Raleigh,
But the delay Of our gunbOsts gave
them time to prepare for defence and block
up the river.
will here copy from my journal
'' Maj. Nogdes, U. 5. A, who was capt
ured at Fort Pickens, is here smong us. lie
is an old army officer, and for some time
Professor of Mathematics at West Point
lie gave as his opinion that the route from
the Peninsula was the worst that could have
been chosen. lie predicts that the result
will be as follows:
g The time spent in taking Yorktown will
enable the rebels to prepare d second line oi
defense near Richmond, so that whatever
the result may be there on the Peninsula
they will have another line as strong to fall
back on,
- The rebels will throw all their troops
here and at point on the Misslssippi,so that
they can make two monster movements.
% There is no way for Mcclellan to
succeed but ny following the enemy closely
and not allowing him to bring up his artil-
lery.
"a They will try to drive out Banks
and then come down on McClellen right flank,
driving him 10 the james River or to de-
struetiOn."
II have been watching the regiments as
they pass and learn this They are all poor
lY clad, sickly. poorly provided with every
thing but bad whiskey, pluck and arms =
One Mississippi regiment counted. and it
had-2 field Oiheers, well mounted 7 cap
saius; 81 lieutenants; 245 rank and file; "a
negroes as servants. COOKS, &e-; 3 wagons;
mules; 2 tagsi drums; 1 fife; bugle; 81