Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-12-12

were directed by the United States authorities
{ not to do il, but to leave it to DO done the
| first pay day. Why IL turns out now with
/ such positiveness that the state should have
I paid us, is a mystery to every one but it will
probably be cleared up along with thousand
and one other mysteries, that are daily pre-
scented to our unsophisticated minds. q, the
mysteries Of war and what an army of Pit
+ 'iots we should have now, could the fat CON
tracts and the iatter--shall say 1t ;--swiu-
dhngs be lcf out OF the programme But
perhaps | am not a suitable Judge as to how
+ such extensive operations shoWd be conduct
ed aud p,rtaps too, If 1t was my own priv
ate business should conduct it In The same
way and then, again, perhaps | shouldn't
wing knows But | have digressed.
Saturday morning the brigade was ordered
out IN rear Of Fort Albany for grand review,
and as we started from camp not few asked
jukingly It another mOue was in readiness for
us-htlle dreaming that before We could
reach the parade ground we should be ordered
to pack up our buds and leave for other quar-
tiers. Scarcely had the rear Of the regiments
LETT their respective grounds however, when
an order came for the brigade 90 bee in readI-
ness at II o'clock-it vas then o'clock in
the iorenoon--to march 90 Hunting Creek,
below Alexandra. Why this second move.
50 suddenly ordered, was beyond the power
Of either officers or men TO explain enough
for the time to know that at noon We were to
leave Camp Seward, and where next we
should en,amp none could tell. Three hours
Of busy preparation, and the 18th and 18th
Regiments were on the march for Hunting
Creek,-the l4ih, 9Th and 10th Regiments
being left at Camp Sewafd for the purpose Of
attempting to exchange their muskets, which
we're not suitable for service. for better and
more servicable ones; after which they were
to follow the 18th and l3th. We arrived at
Hunting Creek at about O'Clock in the af-
ternoon, having marched nearly ten miles, and
bvouaced for the night.
would that could take the readers Of
the Waterman over the same route that we
marched on that Saturday; then they might
have some idea of the effects of war Almost
the entire distance was then, or had been, the
encampment VI soldiers. and desolation and
ruin were on al sides. Where should have
been fruitful fields, were only tho ruins oi de-
serted tncampments and for fences, but
now and then solitary broken part marked
the spot where they once stood. On every
side, and in all directions, we're public and
military roads. cutting the country mp 10 any
thing but regular forms. The spectacle was
new TO us, and we here saw for the Il SO time
what must be the condition Of the country
which has been occupied by an army. May
the green hills and fruitful fields Of Vermont
be forever preserved from such a blight /
cannot, and will not attempt to describe it (;
desolatiOn and ruin. such AS years Of industry
can never repair, cover the face Of the land .
and ftom whatever standpoint only the traces
Of war and the march of armies greet the eye.
Reader If you would learn what these are,
visit Arlington Heights and watk with me to
Alexandria; enough could there be seen to
satisfy any one that they have seen enough of
war, even though they see nothing of its re-
alities.
Just as the boys we're preparing 10 "turn
in for the night SATURDAY an order came for
two companies to be ready Immediately to 20
upon picket duty Companies A and were
detailed-this was som thing new 20 them,
ind as It is generally considered dangerous
position, they listened to the instructions with
more than usual interest. Col. Randall was
very explicit in putting them on their guard
against surprises Or any derllicuon of duty
that might subject them to censnre or repi-
mand, and they profted well by his instruc-
tons Since that time the brigade have kept
up line Of about five miles OF pickets--fve
or six companies bel z detailed once in two
days, aud remaining out forty-eight hours
each. The Lieut.. Colonies and Minors take
turns as field officers Of the day, and of course
| come in for my share-once in nine days
In pleasant weather and moon-shiny nights
it is not a very unpleasant task, but in rcgu-
lar Virginia rain storm, and nights IA, dark AS
Egyptian darkness, II is-woll Imagine your
correspondent starting out from camp at mia
night, for ride OF ten miles or more over
hills. through valleys, IN cross roads and by
roads and where there are no roads at all,
through open fields and then through woods,
aud back again to camp to repeat the dose and
sometimes to double the do7e by dayhght-
The ride (on horse back itself might be agree-
ble enough, but once III ten - fifteen rods
the inevitable sentinel cries ont; "hat, 'oh"
goes there = And a halt must be made else II
the sentinel does his duty, a muskei ball
greets the intruder. But such IS picket duty,
and the boys are fast becoming initiated into
it.
Sunday morning brought to Us a new as
pect in the routine of wat. Instead OF euioy
,ng quiet Sabbath, and listening to the
Teachings Of holy writ, and thu admoniuons
and counses of the fathers in Israel, we were