The Portland daily press., 1862-12-01

Letter from the Maine Nineteenth.

happy to say, comes to me with great regular
ity, seems to have no special correspondent
among us; and, in view of the fact that the
friends of many in our regiment are daily rea-
ders of the Press, it may not be presumptuous
in me to suppose that few lines concerning
ourselves, from an authentic source, will not
be unacceptable to such.
At the last accounts that appeared in your
columns, we were at Bolivar, not knowing
whether we should spend the winter there or
journey towards the goal Of our aspiration,
Richmond.
We remained thus"spem metumgue inter
dubii" till the 3oth of October when our march
began down along the eastern bank of the
Shenandoah, do,en South, but up the river.
The Blue Ridge lay between our road and
the river. The Soaps" of which so much has
been written, Smokers, Ashby's &C., are the
openings in the Ridge, afording easy passage
from North Eastern Virginia to the valley of
the Shenandoah, and beyond.
We passed all these Gaps, and-when a little
to the southwark of Ashbys-struck off in
new direction towards Warrenton.
Our march was not continuous and therefore
not so trying to the men as it might otherwise
have been.
We reached Warrenton at noon of the 9th
inst and at four p. NJ all of the regiment who
lett Harpers Ferry, were present to respond to
their names at roll-call, save one who died in
in the ambulance and was buried by the road
side.
While we we're here Mcclellan took his leave
of the army and Burnside assumed command,
and the time necessary for effecting the change
was employed by US and host of other troops
in recuperating our energies, rubbing up" in
tactics, and making general preparations for
rough time.
On Saturday the 18th, our hard marching
began. The Evening found us thirteen miles
from our starting place; The next day-the
Sabbath-we moved sixteen miles; and on
Monday we came ten miles further on, to the
vicinity in which we are now encamped.
A little grove lies between US and the vii
lage of Falmouth, a small unenterprizing di-
lapidated place, lying on the hither side of the
Rappahanock. Across the river is Frederick
bnrg, city of goodly proportions, but of whose
general internal appearance, l have had no
opportunity for gaining personal information.
There are two obstacles in the way. One a
line of Federal pickets on this side Of the river,
and the Secesh pickets on the other. The riv-
er, minus bridge, might be mentioned as q
third, but this is lordable for q horseman. The
bottom is too rough for artillery to attempt a
crossing.
Such is onr situation tonight. What it may
be tomorrow, the morrow only can reveal.
In the woods opposite are rebel camp-fres
extending along line of two miles, and guns
are plainly seen in position in one or two
places. Gen. Caldwelrs Brigade, which lay
within sixty rods of our own (Sullys) has
changed camp to-day on account of the direc-
ton in which the enemy's guns are point
ed. Farther down the river the enemy threw
few shells across this morning, doing no one
damage. We look for more tomorrow.
rode down to our picket line this morn
ing, and could have conversed with those on
the other bank. Some interesting converse
ton is carried on, of which we occasionally
get "snatch." Yesterday one of our men
inquired OF his confederate neighbor, if he did
not suffer from the cold. His response was
ded "We have gone hungry frequently since
we parted with our Commissary Mcdowell" !"
There has been no picket shooting since we
established ourselves here.
The sanitary condition of our regiment is,
SO far as we can learn, better than that Of the
other Maine regiments Of the same age. In
fants," the old troops call US. Our circum-
stances have been favorable on the whole, and
our physician, when unhampered by those
higher in authority, has given himself heartily
and successfully to his work.
Could his proposals have prevailed in the
conference with other medical officials, our
list of dead and doomed would be abbreviated,
and the number of convalescents augmented.
The "one-man po,Uer," in this department,
as in others, works mischief, when the interest
ed man is "ninny" or knave, and 1t is u
fact, notorious in the army, that too many such
are in place.
Cognizant as / am of facts of daily occur
renee, would not accept the postion-and
incur the abuse attaching to it-of regimental
surgeon. for ten times the compensation re-
ceived. In the eyes of a man of fine feelings,
gold, as an offset to what he must be sub
jected to, must appear contemplate.
had hoped to be able to touch upon som
other matters of interest, but a sudden call to
duty makes it necessary for me to cut my let
ter short.
1t is rumored that Gen. Burnside has given
the Confederates forty-eight hours in which to
remove the women and children from Freder-
icksburg, or surrender the city, and that they
decline surrendering.
In expectation of warm work at an early
hour, am Hastily Yours, c.
FOREIGN MISUNDERSTANDING to the
proposal of the French Minister for the Euro
pean powers to mediate in our affairs, and to