The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-01

E. Soldiers Letter--.No. III.


EDITOR FREEMAN Yesterday we were visited
by the s,yerest wind tnat we have experienced
since We have been in camp. 1t blew perfect
gale the greater part OF the day, making sad
havoc with our tents, and Frustrating most Of
the remaining trees. In the morning the sky
was lowering. and the hills were crowned with
fog. About nine clock the fog lifted, and the
sky frightened up with every appearance Of fair
weathel \ little later, al onnous black look
ing cloud of huge dimensions oomed up from
the Southwest. 10 had a dark and angry appear
ance Perhaps it reflected the political cundi
ton OF the country over which it had just passed.
1t was tiercely charged with wind and rain, with
d large preponderance of the former. AS the
tempest closed upon us, it proved to be all that
it had threatened. The rain poured in torrents,
ann the wind detied everything before it, Men
hitherto Of repuIed sobriety. us they pare by
the rows Of tents among 5he shifting gusts OF
wind, rceIed and staggered in manner that in
ordinary times wuuld have excited grave suspi-
cOn. The ram WAS SOON over, but the wind
prolonged its stay much longer than was desr-
able.
Probably you are aware that this regiment, is
encanped i'll the woods, part Of which is second
growth pine, and the remainder chestnut and
oaS the trees outside of the camp have all
been cut and used up long ago, and since fuel
has become scarce, 80 scarce that hardly II sound
stump can be found in this vicinity which has
not been Clipped of close to the ground, we
have been permitted, in anticipation, suppose,
| of warmer and calmer weather, to cut some of
the trees inside The camp ground, especially the
oak and chestnut. These encroachments upOn our
natural protection have lett the western portion
of the tents naked to the wind, and the eastern
part where the slender pines stand-or stood
rather, for but few of them are lefl-was but
/ little better protected, for these bushy-topped
trees having but IL feeble holdIupon the soft.
miry soil yielded like Il reed before the immense
pressure. Thus the whole camp, which Is stu
ated on an elninence, was peculiarly exposed to
the aerial forces and they raked US with an ener-
| gy and effect that jeff. Davis may despair of
ever initiating Many OF the tents were blown
down and ,on,o were torn in shreds, and few
lnaniully stood their ground. The trees were
being Frustrated in all directions, and only by
extraordinary cxertlons were many prevented
from crushing the tens in their fall. A heavy
army wagon standing on level ground wa. up
set us easily Ms ii It were IL thing without
weight
Night sci in intensely cold. We had hoped
that at shutdown the wind would abate its fury,
but in this we were disappointed. Many OF us
had no tents, and many of the tents had become
30 torn that their protection was insignificant.
Those that We're destitute huddled around their
fires aud made themselves as comfortable rs
possible till morning, and those that had tents
retired as usual, but not without serious appre-
heosion that some unlucky gust might suddenly
reveal to them the unpleasant fact that they
were sleeping out IN open air. The wind ragged
ill mdnIgh, when it became more calm.
hear of no serious accident to life Or limb in
our regiment, but in one of the Pennsylvania
regiments it is said three men were killed by Il
tree falling on and crushing tho tent while they
were 10 it. Some of our tentl.ss ontcasts have
pro'ided them temporary homo in the old hos
pital tent.
The wea her to-day has oecn !iae with cool