Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-08-22

writes from the first Vermont Cavalry,
Co. c., Camp on the banks Of the Rapi-
dan River, Aug. 18th, as follows
DEAR PARENTS:
IL has been long time
since have written you for the reason
that we have been scouting about so much
have not had an opportunity of writing.
1t has been a very hurrying time of the
year with us. We have been obliged to
saddle our horses all times of night and
some nights have Travelled.
You doubtless know that we are in
Maj. Gen. Pope's Army, and our Cavalry
is in the advance, and, as we have been
fighting them all the way from Winches-
ter, which is Ga miles. it has been time
of active service with us, assure you.
/ presume you have heard of the charge
that we made at Culpepper Court House.
Co. @ was in the advance at the head Of
the column. We had orders to charge
about IA of mile from the town; put
our horses into the run some of our men
got hurt some, caused by their horses fall
ing We did not take but a few prison
ers, as they had their pickets out in the
direction we came and gave the alarm that
the id Yankees were coming. There
was only 200 of them there and they
4" skedaddled" in hurry, There was
two scrgeants in Co. | wounded, both in
the arm, by some of the rebels that were
hid in ambush by the side of the road.
1t is not safe for one man to travel alone
anywhere in this State. But have not
written anything that happened Of late.
We have just passed through very hard
skirmish that we had yesterday at Orange
Court House. 1t is about Is miles from
our main army towards Richmond, near
Gordonsville. There were three Regi-
mcnts of Cavalry, not any Infantry at
all. We had orders to 60 to Orange, from
Gen. Pope 1t was supposed that there
was considerable large force there. We
had no trouble on the road until we got
within about two miles of town. Then
We met their pickets that they had on the
road We kept firing at them and they
would fire back, and as they kept moving
back. AS we came near town the negroes
told us that there was two Regiments of
Cavalry in town, and large force of In
fantry towards Gordonsville. We were
confident that we could not hold the place
but short time if we succeeded in get
ting it at all but as our officers are OBJ
liged to carry out the orders that they re-
ceive from their superiors, we made a
dash into town. One regiment went
around on the right side, one on the left,
and the Vt. in the centre. The town was
all alive with rebel cavalry, but the regi-
ment that went on the right got round
them and drove them back towards us.
Co. r and G were in the rear until the
rebels began to come toward us in force !;
then the head of the column broke and
was coming back and came back to Co.
G, the rebels firing at us all the while
but we had our minds made up to 60 at
all hazards. ] was at the head of my
Co. by the side Of Orderly sergeant Chea-
ny and our Captain. We commenced
screaming and shouting, charge on
them" and in we went, cutting and
slashing, the horses falling all about us,
and men crying and gasping for breath.
1t was an awful bloody time, for as they
could not help fighting us, they stood
their ground, and we we were all mixed
up, rebels and federals. l dismounted
two of them and took their arms and cap
tured two horses. Our captain rode one
Of them back to camp. We took in all
about rs Of them.
My health is good. 1t is very warm
here now. We have not been paid off