Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-04-11
From the Vermont Third.
CAMP NEAR NEWPORT News, Va, !
March 20, 1862. J

FRIEND EARLE AS VIC haNO S"'"6
ed the location of our camp somewhat
since last wrote you, | once again grasp
the pea to give you short history OF our
trip to where we are now encamped.
We left our camp near Flint Hill
March 18th, and marched through Fair
fax to Clouds Mills, near Alexandria,
where we encamped. The distance is
about twelve miles. Never did it rain
faster than it did the whole day, and new
er were soldiers or civilians more thor
oughly drenched than we were that night
We remained at Clouds Mills until the
23d, when we were ordered to pick up
our dud. and again seek a new home fur
ther down in Dixie Land. Soon we ar
rived IN the city of Alexandria, and in
short time were ordered on board the
steamer Richard Willing, which was to
! take Us to our new home.
Before proceeding further, will give
YOU few words in relation to the city OF
Alexandria and the country about there.
! Alexandria is a much more pleasant city
than ! ever had an idea it was, 1t is
very pleasantly situated on the Potomac,
has several very nice costly buildings, and
at present presents a very lively appear
ance on account Of the large number Of
troops which are being sent from that
place to Fortress Monroe. Since the
evacuation of Manassas, thousands Of
troops have been sent from the army of
the Potomac to Fortress Monroe and
other places on the coast. The land
about Alexandria, and finally all that lies
between there and Camp Griffin, espe-
caly at Fairfax, was in the past Of the
very best, but it has been badly misman-
aged The inhabitants have raised upon
it, year after year in succession, such crops
as they could best with their slave help,
and in this way have reduced much Of it
to the lowest state Of cultivation. 1t
needs the care Of some good New Eng
land farmers. After rebellion is put
down there will be a good chance for
some of the Northern men to come out
| here and make some Of the prettiest
farms in the Union. 1t shows that the
/ inhabitants here have had other business
to attend to besides farming. Slavery
and the building up Of that cursed insti-
tuition have been their theme. Had they
attended more 10 their farming aud lit
tie to manufacturing, il would have been
much better for themselves and very
much better for the country. While at
Alexandria | visited the hotel in which
the lamentcd Col Ellsworth was killed.
! 1t was on the upper-the third hight-oi
stairs that he fell, and not one particle OF
the three flights remain; and many other
portions of thu house besides the stairs
have been cut to pieces and carried away
by the soldiers and others who visited the
spot
There are on the Potomac at Chain
Bridge and above it, some of the best
chances | ever saw for building manu-
featuring villages. Certainly there are
no better privileges in New England than
there are on the Potomac, and ] can tell
no reason why there should not be equally
hourisbing cotton manufacturing villages
there as in the Northern States, no reason
oaly this--,heir work is performed prin-
cipally by their slaves, and they would
not well do this kind of labor,
As | have said, we embarked on board
the steamer on Sunday, and Monday at
daylight we started on our trip down the
Potomac. Soon we passed Fort Wash
inglon, and a little further down the riy-
or we passed Mount Vernon, the resting
place of The Hero of the Revolution, the
Father Of lis Country, the immortal
| Washington, | was somewhat disap
/ pointed in the looks Of this place. Not
as beautiful as expected. Any one pass
| ing down the river would not once take
it to be The so beautifully pictured place,
Mount Vernon, Monday night we
anchored at the mouth Of the river, and
at daylight Tuesday morning we again
started on our voyage through Chesa-
peake Bay. Twas a little rough, and |
think there were quite as many dizzy
heads in the Vermont Sd as | ever saw
at any time. Soon after noon we neared
Fortress Monroe, and to give you any
thing ike detailed account of this
mighty fortress, or to say one word of
each o. the steamers, gunboats, &c,
would give no room for anything else !;
but | will just mention one gunboat which
lay there, the Monitor, or, as she is call
ed by the rebels, the Yankee cheese box
"A very correct name. 1t looks as much
like a cheese box as anything. Surely
! M nne womb sunnOse she wonld do anv