Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-03-07

FoRT DOSELsoN.-We extract the follow
ing from long and interesting letter BY
carleton" >" Of the Boston Journal
"Commodore Foo, informed me, several week.
ago, that he feared that the gunbosts would not
be effective in attack upon elevated earth hworks
although he counted upon their efficiency if
brought 10 bear upon batteries in cirect range
The action at Fort Henry and the attack on Don
elsOn on Thursday, proves the correctness Of his
suppositions. The bows of the boats, which were
iron-plated, resisted the shot, but they came
through the sides as you could throw peas through
-wet paper. Tea were killed, and about forty
wounded.
l am informed that three of the rebels were
killed, aud several wounded. None Of their guns
we're dismounted. When / passed through the
batteries after the surrender they were all in po
sitiOn, and none OF them damaged.
Just before sunset took a ramble through the
grounds and encsmpment Of the rebels. 1t Is i'm
possible 10 describe the scene. The rebels were
falling into line preparatory to embarking upon
the steamers. Standing upon a hIl beyond the
village, l had at one view almost all their force.
Hogarth never such a sight; Shakespeare, IN
his conceptions Of Falstafs tatterdemalions could
not have imagined the like. 1 do not mean that
they deficient in intellect, for among them
were noble men, brave fellows, who shed tears
when they found they were prisoners Of war, and
who swore with round oaths that they would
shoot Floyd as they would dog If they could get
a chance, but that for grOtesque appearance they
were never equaed, except by the Lordon rag
men and chifoniers Of Paris.
There were all sorts of uniforms, brown colored
predominating, if they were in the snuff busi-
ness and had been rolled in tobacco dust. There
was sheep gray, iron gray, blue gray, dirty gray,
with bed blankets, quilts, buffalo robes, pieces Of
cArpeting Of all eolors and figures, for blankets
Each had his pack on his shoulder. Judging by
their garments, one would have thought that the
last .crapings, odds and ends OF humsnity, had
been brought together. do not write this as
impesching at all their bravery, but to show the
straitencd condition OF the Southern Confedera-
cy that can only give its troops such an outfit.
Passing through a rsvine. / came upon a negro
tru1ging under a heavy load. He said that be
was a free man; that he lived in Tennessee, AM
had been impressed into the service to cook and
dig entertainments. l noticed many others. He
said that slaves. servants to the officers
and that others had been impressed.
One soldier evidently estimated Floyd by his
true merits. Said he, "Floyd is a--scoun-
drel; he stole away and left Us; be vas always a
stealing fellow; 1 should like to shoot him"
This sentence is not fiction, but was spoken to
me by a secession soldier, dressed in a snuff
brown uniform Of Kentucky jean. on the hillock
near Dover landing.
Ascending a hill found rebel regiment bu-
rying the dead. There was no chaplain present,
no servicc, not even a soldiers common respect
for his fallen comrsde,
"Not farewell shot"
Crossing a ravine l came upon three guns Of
the battery attached to Ployd's brigade, which
had become stuck in the mud, when with his
command he silertly stole away. The horses had
been cut from the traces, the harnesses LEFT in tho
road and were trampled in the mud. Beyond,
picketcd in the village grave yard, were several
hundred horses and mules. Arms, equipments
blankets, were scattered over the ground and
trsupled in the mud-sll indicating the immense
waste of prpsrty, and loss to the rebels.
Ths dispatches sent out give STARTLING so-
counts Of terrible fighting, and have heard many
say that il was the hardest battle America ever
saw: but as these men have not seen all the
battles fought this continent, shall accept il
with some allowance. Ihoro was some very good
fighting. There is but little doubt that Taylor's
battery saved the day, when the enemy advanced
to attack Wallace. There was one opportunity
lost. single field piece landed on the opposite
side of the river. and put in position above the
town, and Floyd, the thief, would have been
ours. Colonel Reynolds Of ono of the Mississippi
regiments sneered at our supineness "a the mat
ter, and said that It was in his view gres. mis-
take on our part
He was very bitter on Floyd, and evidently
allowed his personal feelings to intensity his ex
preston Of opinion.
6EsEKLI suckEEE.
l was present in tbs evenius when General
Buokner was arranging for the removal Of the
prisoners. He is yet in the prime Of life al
though his hair has turned iron gray. He Ia Of
medium stature, having low forehead and thin
cheeks, wears moustache and thin vhiskers.
He had on light-bius kersey overcoat and
checked neckcloth. He sat with constrained ease
smoking q cigar, and talked in low, quiet tone.
He evidently felt that he was in huuiliating
position, but his department was such as to COM
mand respect whom contrasted with the course Of
Floyd and Pillow. His chief Of staff sat by his
side, but not with the same ease.
He could not meet the gaze Of those around.
Gen. Buckner freely gave Information relative
TO his positions bis forces, their disposition and
his intentions. He expected to escape, and
claimed that the engagements on Saturday were
all in favor Of the confederate. No opprobrious
or insulting wordz were used BY any one. No |
discussions entered into. He asked for subsis- |
tencs 70, lis men, and said that ho had only two
DAYS rrorisions on hand. he had hvors to ssk |
for some Of his wounded officers, all Of which
were readily scceied 10 be Gen. Grant.
REPREsEyTArioy N CoseREss.--Ths bill |
referred to elsewhere does not give Vermont |
four representatives, but three, - the num-