Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-06-03
A Soldiers Letter-No. TX.

VICINITY OF RICHMOND, Tues lay, May 20.
EDITOR FREEMAN 1t may occur to you that
this Is "a novel place from which to date letter,
but 1t is the nearest approximation to accuracy
that can give We are marching towards the
rebel capital slowly but surely, the rebels re-
treating as We advance. negro has Just IN
formed US that We are within sixteen miles OF
that city According TO his testimony, me has
heard them express their determination TO make
desperate stand at the Chckahominy river,
five ur SIX miles this side OF Richmond. and fight
there till their last man is killed, IT nccessI
ry, before they yield. This kind ot talk IS get
ting TO be- an old story tae same was SAID at
Yorktown.
We lett our pleasant camp near Williamsburg
Friday morning, May 9th, at break OF day, and,
in the language Of horse racers made excellent
time tll the middle OF tine afternoon, when we
halted for the night in a wheat field adjoining
the road. Here we spread down our blankets
for bed in the open air and laid down TO rest,
the moon Keeping vigil over our unconscious
hours. doubt If ever king in his royal palace
enjoyed more refreshing repose than did we sol.
dlers that night, iatigued as we were by the
days march Ii spectator had visited US al
\ dead night -ud heard tbo hsarso music that
was discoursed in regular metre from u thousan nd
! pair OF nostrls, he would need no further evI
dence that soldiers can sleep soundly enough in
open lir, and that soft beds and downy pillows
are not Indispensable to good nights rest.
| W resumed our march earl, IN the morning,
and pushed on till afternoon, this time hdltlng
in the orchard OF Il staunch stcesslonist. Hun
cry and tired, 1t was gra eiu privilege to rest,
but our hayerSacks We're u solemn mOckery 10
] n latrt pr4 nd bt "A faI
supply Of ,h-n, we're Their cole contents. NJ
meat, salt Or fresh, and (ot c0urse) no butter or
cheese to eat with them | have noticed In some
papers the lantalIzlng statement thAt abundant
supplies oi commissary and quartermaster stores
have been furnished the army here; but If So we
are quite frequently an uncomfortable exception
IN receiving this oounthul supply. IL don
mend the matter to cOmplain 50 the boys pa
tiently submit
Those that had the materials made coffee in
their tin cups to eat with their crackers, and
bread aud milk fashion such dish rellshes well,
providing fellow is sufficiently hungry Under
these circumstances, you will hardly blame the
boys for being tempted to capture some OF the
- Virginia rabbits that were squealing about
Z in the woods near by, apparently common prop
/ erty. There were some good suppeiS eaten out
side of the officers tents that night, which may
possibly diminish the inventory Of property on
the estate OF this man, who, 1t | am correctly
informed has served in the rebel army. TINS
wanton destruction OF property was
promptly checked as soon as it became known
4 large patrol guard was established and heavy
punishment threatened to every soldier caught
IN this business. Seceshers property was vIgi
lantly protected. Not u rail was allowed to be
touched, nor hen msulted, that belonged to
him. hope he will be induced to reciprocate
this uumerlted kindness and take the oath ol
allegiance.
SUNDAY we had entirely 10 ourselves. No
marches or iatgues are required of us on this
day, unless absolutely necessary Gen. Me-
Clellan respects the Lords day, as do II large
proportion of his men. Many OF them respect
IL mere because a. does than from any other
consideration. Divine services were held in our
regiment, the first we have euloyed the privilege
OF attending since We lett Camp Griffin.
The next day we marched on 10 New Kent
| Court House, where part o, our regiment was
detailed for picket We LETT our posts the fol-
| lowing morning, falling into line rs the rcuiau-
/ der Of The resimeut came up, AMI marched 10
! Cumberland OF Ptrham 5 Lmding on the Pa
munky river. This was emphatlcally u cross
1 lo march, and the distance # counted by diff
cuties lnstaadol miles would reach an enormous
/ figure The route lay through swamps aud
creeks and thick underground woodsthe most
difficult place in the world to march. March
/ ing in u column mile or more IA length Is al
together different thing from marching alone
4 Ii the head of the column comes to place
where but one can pass at time, those in the
rear are obliged to wait till all ahead OF them
have reached solid ground SO that whenever
they have crossed the swamp, or creek, or what
ever the obstruction may be- they are lar behind
and it taxes a long time to get the ranks closed
up. There is Il general order issued to remedy