Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-05-09
Letter from Thaddeus Durgin.


deus Durgin, of Battery f, 9th U. s.,
though it appears at a rather late day.
will be acceptable to his many friends and
prove interesting to all as showing the
life of an artlIeryman during the late
siege of Yorktown. 1t was written as a
private letter to Mr. Joseph Bates, of
Derby, and we are indebted to the kind
ness of that gentleman for permission to
insert it in our columns:
CAMP PINE GROVE, WARWICK Co Va. }
April 10, 1862.
FRIEND BATES One year ago to-day
we were sitting in your old bar talking
/ of the future, with confidence in our pow
err to crush the storm that at that mo-
ment was lowering over Major Anderson
in his so called impregnable fortress, yet
doomed to fall the same day, even whist
we were proud of its vast strength. A
chill blast seemed to creep over our
hearts in hoarse whisper dragging ev-
cry eye to the ground, yet we knew all
Sumter had fallen! How then? lnac-
tive only for a moment; the chill was
gone, the eye was lifted to heaven, and
when again it sought its fellow townsman
the old confidence and a new thought
were to be seen everywhere-first slow
and calm; but as the cadence grew all
knew it was the nations reyeilee, and,
bringing from their peaceful sleep, they
answered, here. One year to-day, friend
b.! Look for a moment over its sad
events Eye well the present, and send
me one short gaze into the future. wish
to know how you feel-that is, the North
what your hopes and fears are. Mine
are simply these, all will be as we wish !;
the war will not last very long, but it will
be Of the most reckless, bloody nature.
England may say we are no soldiers
We have never laid the claim even to he
classed among nations as such but what
we have done and what we are prepared
to do will show to the world that Yankees
can fight like fends, and that their lives
are as freely given as though they were
reared in the school of strife and bloody
contest. You may look for some good
account of your pet army Gas suppose it
- ere long We have not passed the
winter 10 mud, wet, and cold to make Us
very gentle; we are mad. 1t is not the
madness of to-day; it is chronic. All
we ask is blood, and an end to this inhu-
man contest.
Our boys are fighting all the time
some of them. Since we left Hampton.
or Newnort News. we have had nothing
else. TIE bovs start with their Guns on
their shoulders as the farmer in their
homeland takes his spade or hoe Off
they 90: perhaps thev have said their
last good by-what matter? They have
left their mark. Friend, take a map of
this country and you will see where we
are. At this moment This division
Smill,'s---is siormjng a fort, that is, the
artillery, las you know | am attached to
battery f, 9th L. s. that is on james
River near Mulberry Point. We have
been popping away at it, or ratLer at
their line Of forts, for one week. They
have entertainments from that said point
to Yorktown, short distance of only
nine miles. We 90 in and fight day,
then are relieved by others. Sometimes
we exchange shots fast, sometimes slow,
then sit down on our guns and look at
one and the other. They will jump Up
on their ramQarts, swing their hats, shout.
and tell US to come on. They have a
very pleasant way OF calling Us pet names
that | like; something like these, -
Damned Yankees" sold Abe Link /
horns hounds" &c. BY the above you
will see we are very near them. SO we
are. We are in the road that runs from
Warwick Court House TO Yorktoyn-at