Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-02-07

" III 'hJ No NV
that name we read of :. where the worm
dieth not, and the fire is not quencbed?"
have learned since | became a soldier
that the people where We were first located
were all interested in our welfare, and
anxious that we should be we'll cared for,
and fed. After taking one more degree"
l have learned, to my sorrow, that not
only my property, but that of all others
in our good State has been taxed to pay
the soldiers thirty cents per day for the
benefit of their stomaehs. Now, sir, we
find ourselves in Camp Holbrook-l
cannot write the name without thinking
of that "other place" Here VIC are
quartered in those beautiful patent houses,
the appearance of which is comfortable,
but the reality not so. Sixty men hung
up on shelves in one room, with a fire on
one side, and frost on the other, proves to
us to be anything but healthy. We find
ourselves in the morning like a steamed
dough nut, ready to be used then, or
never. This takes away our former good
health, but as it was unforeseen we will
not find fault with it. But please to take
notice that fere, at Camp Holbrook, in
our own good State of Vermont, We have
provided by a tax on our own property
thirty cents a day for the benefit of the
stomachs of each of our soldiers. Stom-
achs we understand to be the reservoirs to
hold the oil so we'll calculated =" to make
our faces shine" and our backs to bear
the burdens laid upon them. But this
thirty cents is divided into two parts, the
lesser half going to us, and VT command
ed to receive it, and be q"iet. If we re-
monstrate we are told that it is better
than what we shall get down South.
This is truly consoling! Thus eleven
hundred and fifty five dollars per week is
pocketed by some graceless contractor!
Mr.. Editor, | left home thinking our State
free-in some good degree-of the corrup-
tons and frauds practieed by the South,
but VIC learn, to our sorrow. that we need
90 no further south to find corruption.
We can hve on fifteen cents per day, but
learned years ago that my stock required
full feed to thrive. We stand here guard
ed by the bayonet, and are ordered to eor,
asking no questions, while the Governor
and his worthy friend are driven to Camp
daily, drawn by those fancy grays which
are a treat to look at, barring the reflection
that such extravaganza is supported by
the money thus wickedIy drawn from our
stomachs. You would have laughed The
other day to have seen our tables, break
fast, dishes, and all, rise in one miunte
after we came to them, and fall to the
ground in one general smash. We were
ordered to drill in the storm that day,
and had the consolation Of being told
that this waste of property would be ia.
ken from our wages. | have learned that
there are meaner men in Vermont than |
had ever read Of, and that | have signed
a paper which subjects me to treatment
hat none but traitors deserve. | am
going to lay down my life, if need be, for
my country. If die on the battle field
there is but one thing I should like a
furlough, and a pass bach to this world
for, and that is that | might return to
Brattleboro, where my ghost should night
ly haunt those who are making ghosts of
our hitherto healthy bodies, by taking
away half our living. You may think |
am homcsick, but | tell you truly hat |
am dissatisfied with nothing but being
taxed, with all my fellow citizens, to feed
myself, and then to have half Of it taken
away by those of whom we have a right
to expect better things. | should like to
give you a history of the hash we have
ground up for use in a sausage machine,
but the good woman who has given me
the Inequalities of her house this day
says supper is ready, and | must stop.
We are going to have chicken pie and
wonder if the land sharks here wouldn't
like half of it? SOLDIER.