Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-05-23
Our Army Correspondence.
FROM THE FIFTH REGIMENT.
cANr W'FrlaLp scoTTI, W, ~ W. n 4

tt fir you and your readers 70 pc appfs,n w vut
rcn,s and doings in this quarter oi rcheldom have
.o nded 20 pen down hrAy record " our perform
crs and transactions since we len our late winter en-
ap,pra ent Toe thc OBLIGATION Of yourself and reaucfs
no,, YOU will get .retty good knowledge Of what we
r4c doing out here from newspaper couespondent. uu
after nh. pen and ink sketch ifom some one w
Seat of wor wn Is directly identified with the facts "nch
be- reports will oftcnumcs be more Interesting 'nNn |
newspaper details -. h.a ,,..od !
Afct breaking up our old camp mhs's W T, " m IN
the winter. marching from that Pa,e J" r IVY ~. .,, -,
sc noiehbohood OF Fairfax Court House, and thcnce 70
Manassas Junction where We found the tenes nag Van
osrd the rancho and lef their stronghold 10Y parts IN
lp,vn leaving nothing for To do there, we wert et
dr,l to proceed 20 Alexandra. Accordingly we b1ok
nm our line Of march for that city, vending our way
iiiihcr through violent rain Storm Win mud knee
deep reaching there dtenched through 20 ne skn Won
oui and exhausted with excessively h'iguiug mareh
of % miles which had that day poiiorned owing 70
ma bccn sent us aef we len Flint Hill directing US to
stop miles short of Alexandria in the neighbQrhooa OF
Clouds Mills. we had TO couniermmchi on mon9ay,
March 10TH to the place last named. we renalnel az
Clouds Mills about week when orueta CANT o' W
to proceed 10 Alexandria again, and embark on oeMo
,,rr,n,ent transports for some destination which ot
course was not then communicated 90 us, we iet
Clouds Mills on Sunday, March go ana piuoseueu. 70
our point Of rruharkai0n end went on board steam
transports which we're there waiting to convey us To our
destination.
taoc To entire division, comprising some ~
GOO men going on board the magnificent steamers lying
the wharf with up, ready 20 receive US ana car
~ abroad our terrible mission formed ""ihhe
scene such as is not oftcn Witnessed sunday, about
dusk the embarkauon Of the entire corps having been
successftlly effected without accident steamer, the
South ,merica in company with about a dozen other
Transports left her moorugs and dropped down the fo-
toac oppnste Mt Ncnun, dear and sacred IN every
patriotic American heart containing as It does the pre-
cious relics ~ him who was INST in war, hrs IN peace
aud first in tho hearts n his counrymcn the earthly
remains II the immortal Washington. Here the entire
feet anchored for the night and with carly dawn OF the
following morning weighed anchorand asrapdly as steam
could carry u.s. pf0-ccdcd way, passing harm
J., and unframed by the remains Of The rebel
Ga hr
and swept maiestcay on our course with the speed
ul the horse, towards our unknown destnaon-un-
kuovu all those placed us 10 chief command
On vent passing by various points Of interest along
our course down the river and Chesapeake Bay, until
about u o'clock ON Monday night, when We came to a
bait and dropped anchor of Fortress Monroe
Tuesday morning, March 25th. the boys up brisk
and carly and with curious and nqustye eyes peering
% every object that presented itself % view and cHet
~ capable Of impartng information in regard TO the
locality It's points Of interest and the historical assoca-
tuus connected herewith The first object that met the
gaze the frownng batlements Of the Fort which is
DESTINED % occupy conspicuous place in the history
which on making, and which future generations will
read with an interest which now little appreciate.
The next object which attracted attention. and caused
lituc speculation and inquiry, singular looking
specimen Of naval architecture which boys dubtCd
Nc the Monitor whose famous exploits In its con
test with the teritle monster the Merrinac, only
two days previous. had already gained for IL wide
o ~ and secured most distinguished consideration
u AT circles. 1t certainly dimnutiye and queer
luus object and would at htst sight imagine that
30 was slow coach, and harmless affair any way But
pclrduccs not always correct, fully proved
Ia this The next object which excited inquiry
unfinished structure In the disianoe-eydently
ia progress towards compeuonon bleak and desoate
fpn upon the Of the bay, which proved he
the hfuheauon going up on the Rip kaps It OCCASION
ed remarks from the boysbuth and ocular
the mood happened to take them The bay was thickly
dotted on every side with numerous nautical craf Of
crcy size and description, from the formidable gatc
with IL howning sdcs threatening death and destruction
% our counts foes, down to the tnicst craft that
floats upou the main.
At about A. NJ. debarked near the Fort, where
wc stacked arms and prepared our mornings meal
best could under the circumstances and most OF us
brcakasod hard crackers and salt pork hunger Civ.
jog our scanty repast relish which il would other
y" have had We remained in the vicinity Of the Fort
about couple Of hours many Of the soldiers, meantime,
a'ang Themselves Of the opportunity visit the Lin
c.ln aud Union guns, which mounted upon heavy
platforms few rods outside the fort the beach
strong aud powerful machinery Of peculiar construc-
lu was attached 70 both guns, so that their muzzles
cHid be elevated depressed pleasure and sweep all
c approaches to the fort, seward landward These
truly formidable weapons OF war attracted universal At
tfnon and the apparent with which these monster
could he handled by the admirable machinery at
hel TO them, ELECTED many remarks OF commendation
AZ about 10 A N we took up our line of march,
passing 10y The entire Fort and the extensive yard con-
iccted tn rcwltl. The whole ground in the enclosure
seemed TO be covered with and cannon balls Of
Various nzrs all nicely ranged in rows across the yard
Leaving the Fortress with the works
with IT, aud passing across o bridge on the HAMPTON
iuad We TOOK our way up the peninsula, and came
10 the ruins u what the proud arstocrnto and
ucauunl village Of Hampton. Many Of the chimneys
are SUI standing entire. The ghasily and charred re-
maine Of what were abodos o domestic comfort and
the hncmonts " civilized life furnished sad and mel
anchoy comment upon the awful horrors and devastat
ing saoufge Of war. Passing by this spot, which rebel
bands had deseorated and ruined we continued our
march, md about the middle Of the afternoon came
10 halt pitching tents IN large grain field about
one half nile from James river and about miles from
ofitess Monroe. ] he camp soon presented a lively
spectacle preparing food Others PLAYING hall
puu in HwtYtf IN
Their own greater convenience aud comfort, com
mDdous accommodations than our narrow tents afforded
Here we spent that might and the following day engaged
m the usual routine Of camp life. The second morning
pfrr arrival entire division under the command
81 zen hmilh, went oh reoonnotcring expedition. the
"a W. taking the lead, after passing line Of pickcts
aua acting as skirmishers for the advance.
Up the James River we sul weudcd way, finding
ih whole country before US depnpulated Of IL inhab
auts, houses and barns broken down and demolished
fences destroyed, and general and ruin everywhere
Nsble, giving melancholy evidence Of the destfuo-
ton and devastation which the neXousahle folly and in
ianI ton Of the rebels had brought upon themselves
Aitcr marching about eight miles, our skrmishers sud
denly came upon the rebel pcketa when rapid firing
mcdiaely entued the rebels taking 10 their heels for
haicy aud making themselves particularly in tina,
quarter Word was at once passed back through the
uN diNisoni and regiment after regiment rapidly came
up TO the rent forming in line Of battle, contiguous to
piece Gl woods directly in front, through which the rebel
pickets had disappeared Skrmishers were thrown f,r
Nad carefully feeling their way through the forest uu.
t We had advanced about the distance Of mile whr
halt was ordered and consultation held among oui
huNflh MAtA II was mAithtiN deemed
dent 10 continue our reconnaissance that day. Accord
ngly reiraced our steps the field where we formed
IN line Of battle and pitched tents for the night
Large camp fires speedily kndled and soon threw
OF their cheerful blaze upon the darkness OF the sur.
rounding scene, dispensing both light and heat for tho
comfort Of the weary soldier No more imposing spco
tce have ever looked upon than greeted my eyes ha
night Al Tar she could reach in the clear q, en-
ing starlight, thousands u camp tires could be seer
cleaning every side aud the suppressed hum Of TIA,
busy camp Ike the distant sound of the wate5f
at once scene beautifully grand and impressive With
early dawn Of the 70 lowing morning again on
the move, aud much to the yeXat0n and chagrn our
boys our course still backward instead Of forward
Happily, however, for US, when we had marched bach
about four miles, wheeled into large field and
came to halt and 70 surprise and delight found
that our camp had been moved forward that point ond
company cooks in anticipation Of our arrival had
bot cohee ia readiness 10 us which 10 hun
gfy men, as We you may readily imagine not
all bad 10 take. After considerable delay and an
other move towards the close Of the afternoon finally
pitched our tents in field directly opposite 10
the one into which marched about noon aud took nm
our abode Tor The night On this spot, which was about
l 2milos from Newport News we sojourned for the
space Of a week which interval we passed in drilling,
having during the time grand review under General
kcyes
On the 30 Of April we moved our camp up into close
ntghbofhood with the point above named and on the
morning Of the 4th grand advance Of the whole line
was made We moved forward ia solid column the long
line II bTstling muskets and bayonets cleaning in tbe
sHu ht, nterspersed with numerous squadrons Of cav.
dry aud artillery forming martial array terrible and
Thrilling 10 behold Oh brigade had the post Of honor
assigned II for the dAy. On marched with steady and
shd tramp, making the earth shake under our feet proud