Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-10-03
From the Sixth Regiment
Sharpsburgh, Nd, J
Sent. 30. 1862.

old story to you and your readers. Th
last time wrote you the army of tb
Potomac was quietly in camp at til
White House Landing, on the Pamunke
River, sure in their own minds of 500
being in Richmond, but was soon to b
disappointed, as you have long ago learn
ed. Then came McClellan's retreat, my
self a prisoner for five weeks, confner
and guarded by as ragged and rough
set of soldiers as you very often com
across. That five weeks seemed 20 M
like SO many months we had nothing Il
do only 10 lay in The hot sun and talk 0
being paroled or exchanged, we cared no
which, only to get away from there
We were as a general thing treated
kindly and with respect, as prisoners o.
war, especially by the officers. Our fare
we con'd not complain Of, tor it was the
same as their own men got; for a day.
rations we got 10 ounces of bread and all
the cold water we could drink, and that
was not much, for it was very poor.
The coveted day at last arrived, and
we were exchanged and sent to our lines,
and We were as much pleased to see Tn
Gle Sans boys again as a small by
would be with a new pair Of boots.
We lay about two weeks at Savage
Station, aud vert then taken into the
city, where We remained two nights, and
were then moved over across the james
River on to Bell Island, about two miles
from the city, near by tie Pctereburgb
and also the Danville Railroads. At the
time we were there there was a train on
these roads all Of the time, day and night
bringing supplies for the army; -four
that was brought in one day was all con-
sumed the next; everything that was
eatabe bronbt an exorbitaut price salt
meat could not be had AT any price only
in small quantities. Tie meat that was
furnished for the army was fresh, no salt
al all. Salt bacon was worth 81 per
pound, and common W. /. sugar 81,
molasses $500 per gallon, good pair Of
boots, such as our officers wear in the al
my, is worth there $40, and pants the
same; everything sells in the same way.
They would rather have our money than
their own, aud they got so before we
came away that they would be mad if we
offered them any Of their own scrip, and
l did not blame them either, for | would
not give them fifty cents a bUshel for it.
We lost a great many men that died Of
disease on the island, and three or four
that were bayoueted by the guards
But to return TO my story. Soon after
We got TO Harrison's Landing The army
started for Fortress Monroe, where we
arrived safe and sound August 2Ist.-
The next day VIC took transports for Al
exandria, arrived there without anything
Of Importance taking place, and were
soon ordered to Centreville, and from .
there we went down near the old Bull .
Run battlefield, bnt were in no action. .
We stopped at Csntreville one day, and
turned our backs upon the rebels, and
marched back to Alexandria, where we
arrived Sept in good health, but awful
tired. Sep. 6 We left Alexandria, and
marched to Washington, and from there
to Georget' wa, al so on. We then for
the first time found ourselves out Of old
Virginia.
From the 9Th to the l4th we marched
every day, ard some of the tins in the
night, almost without stopping long
enough to get rested. Sunday, the l4th,
we overlook the thieves, they were post
ed on the side OF mountain, and had
their batteries all in position, having cho-
sen their own ground. We just pitched
in and set them a skedaddiing over the
mountain double quick. We killed
good many, and took good many priso-
ners. They threw a number of shells
at US, but did not do us much damage
In our regiment we had one Captain and
two or three privates acknowledgement
Barney, OF Co. X ! believe,-they do
not consider his wound dangerous. At
the same time they were having hard
fighting near Sharpsburgh, and we soon
had orders to move in that direction
when we got there they were at il doing
their worst. Their whole force was en-
gagged. and so was ours hut Uncle Sans
boys proved too much for them. for we
drove them at every charge. Our bri-
gade was under their fire for forty eight
hours. Our loss was very small, not
more than two or three killed, and | have
not learned the number Of wounded, but
it is small.
Since we came into Mary land our bri-
grade has lost 20 in killed and wounded,
and | ) Of them are from our regiment.
The rebels have got sick of Marylond,
and fed before us across the Potomac in
10 Virginia, and we shall probably
have to follow them. do not think that
the rebels have made a very big pile by
coming into Maryland they have lost in
killed wounded and missing forty thou
sand men; all the houses and barns near
here are full Of wounded that they have