Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-11-14
FROM THE 18TH REGIMENT.


The following, as being an account of
the movements of the I'd VT Brigade, in
which are so many who have friends in
this county, will be read with interest. 1t
was written to the Burlington Free Press,
under date of Nov. lst, at picket station
No So, Union Lines, Mount Pleasant,
Fairfax Co., Va, five miles from Mount
Vernon:
You see the 18th is making some pro-
gress. We are on the Richmond Road,
if not on the road to Richmond.
promised in my last, | believe, some
description of the first camping ground Of
the Vt. I'd Brigade on the soil of the
Mother of Presidents" but our stay in
it was not long enough to make it worth
while to spend much time and paper on a
description. We pitched our tents on the
edge of clean, inviting stretch of oak
timber, not far from the famous Nun
sons Hill" A few rods in the rear ran
stream of the clear sweet water which
we find the Virginia streams composed Of.
The contrast between the spot and the
bare Sahara-like surface of East Capitol
Hill, was delightful to us. Here was a
mat of furry grass between us and the ev-
erlasting clay; here was shade in the heat
of the day-the midday sun is hot here,
yet here was qoood-wood to burn, il
we wished fire anywhere forked sticks
for toasting- forks and clothes horses and
gun racks, to be had for the cutting -
wood to white, when one had time to in
dulge in that Yankee pastime Here was
OVERLOOKING water in abundance. How
d,ff,rent from that stretch Of desert where
not silver for tooth pick could be had
at less than $25 thousand, and water
only came through much tribulation, and
by the pailfull for company. 1t was a
right pleasant spot, and we voted at once
that we wanted no better for winter quar-
tiers.
We lost no time now in waititg to sec
if we should stay here some days, but be-
gan at once to be comfortable. The lum-
Der on which 10 raise the tents, for some
Of the boys, had followed them, and was
put at once to it's proper use, others split
out fat shocks, and made them answer in
the place of boards. Others stockaded
their tents with small logs, and filled the
cracks with fringes of cedar. The camps
(the five regiments were stretched along
side by side) hummed with activity.
The woods were filed with men apparent
ly on big picnic. 1t lasted just one
day. Orders we're out for grand review
on the parade ground of Fort Albany,
near by u.s. on Saturday morning. The
regiments marched out to it at ten o'clock,
only to be turned back by orders for two
regiments to strike tents and march at
once,--and at IL o'clock the 18th and
18th were in the line of march. Our A
tents we left behind us, and We carried on
our knapsacks, each man his half, the lit.
tie shelter tents. AT half-past twelve we
started for Alexandria, Col. Randall, in
the temporary absence of Col. Blunt, TAX
ing the command, and the 18th leading,
Col. Randall had ridden ahead, and our
gait for the first two miles, was set by an
inexperienced officer of the 18th, who
probably forgot that men could not march
with heavy knapsacks on their backs, at
the pace Of his fast-walking roadster. with.
out feeling it. 1t was a very hot day