The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-01-24
tOur War poadence.]
From, Bsrdan's Sharp-Shooters.
CAMP OF INSTRUCTION.,
BERDANs SHARp-SHooTRRs,
asbiugton. D. c.. Jan. 90. lS6

W aohliiHtul', ~. ", Ddu. ~, lCO- J
AE. EDITOR :-Pfesulnins that letters from
Vermont soldiers might be Of interest 10 your
readers, | have taken the liberty 10 send YOU "a
slight account Of this supposed 10 be superior
organization of /. :. 5. S., or as one of ray
comrades fills j, out - Unfortunate Soldiers
Sadly Sold We are located ats,at mile on y
direct Ilnc north oi she Capitol. III: camp *
on high ground, and generally considered
healthy. |. is Il beautiful lacatien. The Cap
tol is in full view. rs well as almost the entire
city. Our camps ACROSS the Potomac are plainly
visible to the naked eye from one mile below
Alexandria almost up to Chain Bridge. So
closely do they cover the soun1,' to me, they
look like a large flock Of sheep, token of peace
and prosperity But how different the reality
They are camps Of soldiers supplied with the
implements OF war, who have gone forth from
the peaceful occupations 70 fight against those
whom until lately they have esteemed as fellow
citizens and brothers. Such is war. There Is
camp in every direction within Il mile Of the
city, and the further You -, tie more nulAc7-
GUS they seem.
We have been here ever since tie 18th Of
Sept, and although our rifles were to be dey
cred to Us Oa Our arrival az Weehaukcu ;ccor-
ding to the promise We rcccaed from the Colo
mel before leaving the State we have not received
them yet. The probability OF our getting them
at all unless they are furnished by he States 70
their resrec;iv! companies ooks very dubious
Most Of the ucn have given up the idea that We
shall ever g}t them We all enlisted rs Rife
men with the promise ofthc best rife that could
DO found in the country. We were to be used
as Scouts and sktrmishers and to act as an inde-
pendent corps On the battlefield. We we're to
have the bes. Of everything in the shape of
equipments uniform SC, We were not 10 Stand
on Guard, and many other things | Will not
stop to mention, which would make the duties
Of !. soldier more pleasant and easy than are
those Of th9 common Infantry.
Many gave up good bcrths 10 other regiments
and enlisted as prlvates IN this organization -
Such u soldier life as was held out to US had,
could almost say, charms for an adventure u.
go-ahead man, ep.n if he was to coolly pick off
his fellow man. The consequence is, we have as
fine body OF men as were ever brought together
for the same purpose Officers in tho Regular
Army say they never saw such a fine BODY OF
men In any army before. The men are, as a
body, good-looklns. good-sized, intelligent, aud
accustomed to the middle if not the hishes, class
Of society this country affords We have been
here four months and have not yet been armed
and although VIC have been repeatedly told tina,
the rides were already ordered by the Govern
ment and would soon be here, there does no,
seem to be as much prospec. Of our getting them
as there WIGS III the mouth Of October. ln DC
tobcr Lieut.. Col. Mears canva.scd the line off
GERS in the LIST Regiment to see If they would
not use their influence With the men t. have
them take nuskets. Net one of them Wa.
shameless enough To propose the thing to their
men, much les to entertain il themselves
About the hrst OF December, just at the close OF
. dress parade, Col. B:rdan drew us ny into
Il square and made short speech He said
- While you have been lying here idle, have
been fighting your battles Tor you, and have al
last achieved Il great rictory. The War De
partment has ordered at my request one thou.
sand " Spencer Rifles " which could be free
eight times without re-loadiug. IL IS the RIFF
of my choice without regard to expense. Tn,
rides will be here within forty days, and in ID,
meantime you will have the Springfield Rife
With sabre oayonet to drill in the manual o
arms. These | can act any day, and in An,
quantity, from one up to six thousand. The,
shall be brought sp here a, soon as possible, an
you shall no longer have any reason to soy yo
are without arms
At the close OF his remarks Que of the off
GERS called for three cheers for tho Colonol.-
l hese were gwen with II will by som" while ott
ora more knowing stood by silent. When I'll
mailer had been looked at the second time the
,nc and al. wondered why The Colonel was .