Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-05-27

weather CJuled on. Aitel snort COnau lta ton
among The officers, we were sent back after ouI
kuapsachs, tents, ana ratons This we inter.
preted as meaning march, and we were not
disappointed. 50, paltaklug heartily Of some
haIi cooked beans that mad been intended tor
dinner, for We had no notion OF losing the very
best luxury our commissary department aHOrds
We prepared ourselves for our Journey ana
started We marched On through fields and
woods turning TO the right and lett, and lnarcn.
ug sometimes IN one direction and then 10 a d.
rectlon nearly opposite yaIly believe if ou.
course was all considered beforehand tie man
that planned it must be IN league with some
SUPERNATURAL power. IL was very warm day
anu the heat increased every hour as the sGn
mounted toward the zenith Cold water was
very much needed, but it MAS very difficult 10
obtan any it 70 drink. 4 pure sprmg by the
way side would afford ii!nk 10 buj comparatively
lew besides we had nu lime 10 stop, Oar kuap-
sacks grew hJayy many VI the bJys threw
them away to relieve themselves Of thI> tuf
meupng burden
From negro It was found that some horse
trooper, had gone In d cerAiu direction. and
our regiment ~as depoyed As aknmmhers !n
pursuit We soon came upon whal appeared TO
be a burning bridge, and Sc FASTENED forward
10 save IL Il possible. Il proved u be a mil
that the rebels had set lire TO- ana they were
ius' leaving. We pursued them, firing when
ever We sa" good chauce. They had made a
bOLfle Of boxes Of cartridges by lhe side Of the
road which cracked like bunch Of fire cracker,
on 4 Fourth OF July. We marched in thu way
as sklrmishers the greater part Vi the afternoon,
when We were ordered to return Gs We came
AT the burul ( mill we saw the Owner, a negro,
who was guarding his household goods which
had all been carried out Of hls house. lie SAID
the rebels told hlu 10 burn his house and follow
| them, Tor the Yankees would destroy him and
all he mud. The, robably would have made
| his house share the fate Of the mil had 1t not
| been tor our timely arrival lie manlcs ted as
mucn inward satisfaction at seeing US, as If he
had suddenly recognized an old friend
The afternoon was fast waning when we got
back 10 where We were first deployed Is sklr
mishers, and being very tired as well as hungry,
we expected this would be our camping place
for the night,-the wish being father To the
thought. Probably but few orders had been
obeyed with greater promptness during the day
than the command Rest, was at this time. U,
VIVA. relief a few minutes rest like this afforded
Surely they wouldnt be so uneelingas to make
us continue this weary march any further that
night. But the stern, prompt order, Fall in,
sounded the death knell 10 these pleasing iiu-
| slons. We were soon on the way again. The
Vermont Brigade was two miles further on, and
we must oyertake them. Could We accomplish
this distance Our shoulders ached under the
CALLING knapsack straps which they had sup
ported all day, and our leet were sore and bis.
tered but still the column moved on Our TWO
miles Enlightened INTO four, bu no olgus of the
Brigade yet. The Captain, leading the column,
was often impiored to halt and allow US few
minutes rest the Colonel hayingrode on some
distance ahead He yielded but it was not in
accordance with orders, and he was put under
arrest, but subsequently was released
We continued our march TIL about . clock
when we finally halted IA . newly plowed held
where we spent the night. We spread down
our blankets on the moist; almost muddy ground,
aud laid down for u nights rest The ominouS
haze that had been gathering around the sun in
the afternoon, now thickened into u rain storm
about midnight Perhaps the reader can iul-
agine the peculiarly pleasant sensation one feels
sleeping in the open air with the gentle rain
lattering constantly Ia his face, bat confess
lack the ability 10 describe It.
bly refreshed, though We were wet and some.
what stiff and lame. After breakfast we we're
soon on our way again We marched but IA
short distance and halted to support battery.
We remained in the edge OF the woods during
the battle OF Monday and the succeeding night
we were sort of picket reserve. The success
oil Gen. Hancock just at night was received
with the most enthusiastic cheering The woods
fairly rung with their shouts These cheers
were So CALLING to the rebels that they sent sew
eral we'll directed shells to Us, but this only in
creased the cause of their annoyance
1t nined till midnight. In the morning we
moved and encamped in the woods near the
battle. field. Till Friday We had but little to do
again. Thursday, in company with friend,
visited the bat le-fcld where there were many OF
the dead still unbured. One can hardly re-
fran from shedding u silent tear over the last
resting place of these brave men, | saw as
many as dozen buried side by slde in one grave
all from one ompany. Perhaps IN other places
there were even more than that Those that
noticed in particular were from the LIST regiment
Excelsior Brigade Like band of brothers
they had fought like the heroes they were, and
perlshed, nobly conlending for the cause OF hui
manity against armed usurpation; and now
simple single with their name marked on it tells
the traveller where they lie. But the saddest
sight of all was to see wounded men still alive
ana uncared for | saw man wounded in the
head cot of brains marking the spot where
he was hit. lie "as leaning back against some
logs, in partially upright posture, stll breath
ing, though apparently unconscious. might
multiply descriptions OF these horrors if it were
pleasant to write of them but it is not
Friday and Saturday We continued our march.
On to Richmond has lost its unpopunrty, aud
we have faith to believe we shall soon possess
that city. ANrI-REBEL, ID Reg't