The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-30
CAMP BEFORE LEES MILLS, april u, 1867

body IN the world that fuif!s the Apostle III
| junction, "boareth ali things" and 'cndure;I
all things" it is the soldier. All night, PEI
haps, we are employed in digging rltle-pits II
the rain and mud, and the following night Oh
| picket, and then should night occur with n
duty for us to do, ten chances to enc it we ar
not called into lac at the alarm Of The rirkets
| to repel the enemy. Hard crackers and occa
sionally little meat are our on Diet However
| there is but little complaint, and have no de
| sire to be the first one to grumba.
! The army here is not without it's ''specia
correspondents, and as they have free access u
the highest authority, and enjoy the wides
range OF observation, any thing from common
soldier confined to the strict limits of his OWL
sphere of duties, must be Stale and inslpid Ii
comparison Of course it would be outside o.
Vermont, but in writing to our friends we have
the vanity to believe that soldiers letters art
not wholly without interest. The snow, accord
ing to our latest adyices, still tenacously holds
supremacy over the struggling approach VI
Spring in your climate, and can almost sym
pathize with its reluctance to leave; but acre
the weather is often so warm as render shade an
agreeable protection. AS long ago as the 4th
inst, the boys went swimming in James river.
The trees are beginning to put out their foliage,
and the grass is starting up all about.
Wednesday, the 10th, was a bloody day for a
part of the Vermont brigade, and one which
will be remembered with pride and satisfaction
by all There had been disturbance with our
pickets the night previous, and early in the
morning we were ordered out, and about eight
o'clock our artillery opened fire on the rebels
from the very place where We were fired upon
while on picket duty the Sunday before, Us de-
scribed in my last. The enemy had the range
exactly, one Of their shells bursting precisey
over one of our guns, eifectually clearing it of
its men, killing three and woundng four. Our
men were not long in returning the ompliment.
and with similar effect. We We're stationed in
the rear of the battery, ready at any moment to
storm the enemy's works if called upon. The
battle field was in an opening surrounded by
woods composed mostly of pine. The rebel fort was
on the west side of this clearing, situated back
in kind of u bay formed by the trees, and in
front Of it was creek with u wide dam, which
drank the blood OF many of our men in one
brief hour.
The Second regiment, which during the al ter-
noon, had been marching hther and thither, in
,he woods towards the right, without, as 1t
seemed to us, any definite purpose in view, re-
ceved orders about three o'clock to march
somewhere, double quick, TO support the third.
AS we emerged into the clearing, the smoke of
the battle was rolling up in dense clouds, grow
ing thicker and thicker every moment as our
batteries vomited forth flom their brazaa throats
their dealt! dealing missiles TO tbs accused min
ions of slavery. We rushed past the batteries
in their rear to the left, losing but one man
killed, and one wounded by piece Of shell from
the enemy. We quickly formed in line of but-
tie, sheltered by piece of pine woods bordering
on the creek which separated us from the enemy.
There were other regiments ahead Ol us, and we
We're TO be their support in case they attempted
10 charge across the creek. The rebels had
ceased firing, and it WAS unknown whether they
were evacuating or playing possum. As rAe
Third and Sixth attempted 10 cross, they found
to their cost HAT the enemy had a stronghold
there. and were determined 10 hold it. The
water, supposed to be about knee deep, was
found TO be much deeper, and it is thought that
the rebels had sumo way to let in water at will !;
mauy OF the uOys Who crossed vt that time baye
assured ne, that ihey found the water had quite
percsptibly Increased in depth when they re-
turned. When they were in tic worst possible
situation, tho rebels opened fire on thcm from
their rifle pits, with terrible effect. From where
our regiment Stood We could hear the musketry,
but could not witness the strife. Oar artillery
at this juncture opened on them with rcdoubied
fury, and Tor lew minutes the ground fairly
trembled under our feet. Oar suspense was
painful. In few minutes squads of men were
seen emerging from the woods with their wound
Ell comrades, carrying some of them on their
backs, some On stretchers, and Others were as
sisted hcbbling along the best way they could ;
and many, alas were lett that could not be re-
covered. This confirmed our worst apprabc.l
sions The men were wet to their waists, and
of course every cartridge was soaked, and rey,-
dered for the time worthless. The dead were
not recovered till Saturday, under flag oI
truce
The Fourth also partcip a.ed actively in the
fight. Part Of them, headed by Coz 5loughton
had advanced to the creek ON the right anu
when the Thlrd and Sixth retreated, the enemy ;.
attention was directed TO the Fourth, aud the,
were in most critical position with nothing t,
cover their retreat. While they lay on the grounc
they were comparatively safe, but The momenl
one attempted to rise he did it ut the imminent
risk OF his life, BY jumping up and running I
few steps and then throwing themselves fat or
tho ground again, they managed, in this way
to work their way back to che woods The,
presented a singular and almost ludlcrous an
pearance IN their dangerous retreat. Mari,
twenty of their number were either killed OF
wounded
There are many incidents connected with TIN,
days work, which are worth relating, but dou bit
less You will receive full and accurate descrp
tions OF them long before this letter reaches you
and even now it Is more than probable that you
readers are acquainted with all it's details be
sides, perhaps those regiments the most engage
would prefer to tell their own story.
! That night was on picEet. All was com