Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-05-06
1tllsGcll0np.

Soldiers Letter--NO. VII
CAMP BEFORE LEES MlLIs, April q, 1862
EDlToE FWrNAN II believe If there is any
body IN thc world that lulGs the Apostles 10.
junction, " beareth all things ana eudureth
All things il s the soldier. All night, per-
hals, we are empioyed ID digging rllo-pits ia
the ran and mud, and the following night on
picket, and then should night occur with no
duty tof as % do, ten chances % one il we are
not called into line at the alarm ol the pickots,
70 repe the enemy. Hard crackers aud occa
sionaliya little meat are our only Diet However,
there ls but httle complaint, and have no de.
sire 70 be the first one to grumh!e.
The army here is NOT without its Especial
correspondents, and rs they have free access to
tle highest authority, and ENJOY tAo widest
range o observation, anything from common
soldier confined to the strict limits Of bis own
sphere OF duties, must be stale aud iGsipld in
comparison Oi course IL would be- outside OF
Vermont bat in writing 10 our friend, wo nave
tae VANITY 70 believe tuat soldier letters are
not wholly without interest. The snow aeeora
luE ~ our latest udyices, sull tca.clOusy holds
supremacy over the struggling approach ol
Spring u your climate, ana can almost jm-
pathiza wilh lts reluctance to leave but mere
the weather ]. oien SO warm as render sbadenn
agreeable protection. A- long ago q. me 4th
iust t6e boy. went swimming ia James river
Iu" tre are beginning TO put out thel foliage,
ana Che grass is starting up all about.
Ncluelay. The l6ta, $50, bloody day fora
Iart % .he Vernon, brigade ami oae which
vii fa remembered with pride and ,,siactJn
by all lhera had been a disturb .ncs with our
pc9cts the night previous, and early IN the
morning We Were ordered out, aul about tigLJ
O'Clock our artillery opened fire ou thc rebels
rom lhr very place where we wc4e tred upon
while on picket duty the Sunday before, as De-
scril au 10 my last. The etcmy bad the range
exactly, one oi their shells bursting precisely
over aue 1l Qur guns, eiectually clearing it VI
lts men, killing Three and WOundlDg tour Our
men were not ung 10 returning the compliment.
ana With .unilar effect We were stationed Ia
the rear y the battery. ready % any moment %
Storm tae tuymy works d called upol. The
mttle field was .u an opening surrounded bY
woodscomIo,ed mostly 81 pine, lhercbei iorlwas
ou the west side 81 this clearing, situated back
10 a kiad ol bay formed by the trees, aud DO
ilont % it was creek with wide Gam. W1ich
drank ,ae blood %! many 0l cur men ID one
t.et hour.
Tine Second regiment, which during the after
loon, had been marching hitUeg ahd lultnrr. IN
lho woods towards the right, without, Us it
seemed b us, any definite purpose ~ view, re-
ceiycd 0rdure auons three O'Clock 90 mareh--
somewhere, doub.e-q quick % support Tie Third.
As we emerged into the clearing, the smoke ot
thr battle wae rolling az ~ dense clouds, grow
ing thicker and .aicker every moment as our
batteries samtted forth from then lrAzra ihroatS
;leir death dealing missiles TO the accured mu-
Iuus OF slavery. We rushed pas. the batteries
n their rear 10 the lett. losing hut one man
Killed. and one wounded by piece ul shell from
the enemy. We quickly formed lu ine oi ha;-
De. sheltered by piece OF pine woods bordering
on tRe creek which separated Us from tine enemy.
There were other regiments gueld ol us, and We
were 20 be ,ueir support IN case ,h,y attempted
to charge across the creek The rebels ha1
ceased hrIng, ana it was unknown whether they
were eyscuating or playing possum. As the
IllrG and SIKH attempted 10 cross, they found
90 their cJst luat the enemy had a stronghold
there, and were determined 10 hold ii. The
water. supposed 10 be about Knee deep, was
.ouad 70 be- much deeper, aud It Is Thought that
the rehels had some wuY 90 let ia water as Will
many Ut tHe hops who crossed at that time have
assured me, tina, they found the water had quite
rctcertbly increased IN depth when they re-
turned. when lhey were IN The worst possible
situation, the rebels o ened nrc on them from
their Tie llts, with terrible effect. from where
oar regiment stood, We could hear toe nuskclry,
la, cyul4 uut witness The strife. Oar artillery
80 ths Iuuotuge opened on them with re.lub.cd
fury. ana pr a .ow minutes the ground fairly
trtmb,ti tndeg oar feet. Oar suspense Was
painful. In iew minutes squads o. men ve,t
s,ua ,ll,Iglug from the woods wilu their wouuG-
ed cumAdcs carrying sohe ol tHtm on tocir
backs, some uu stretcAers, ana others were as-
sisted hobolms alurg The best way tnty could
Hud many ilas were lell that could not be re-
covered TINS confirmed our worst aplrehcu.
slous. Ihe men were wet TO their waists and
VI course every Cartridge was soaked, ana rem
dtrgd Tor the time worthless, The dead were
not recovered tii Saturday, under iits OF
trace.
The Fourth also participated actively in the
tight. Partot them, headed by Col. S,oughtOn.
had advanced 10 the creek ON the right, aud
when the Ihro and sixth retrtnted, the enemy :
attention was directed to the Fourth, and they
were in - most critical position with nothing to
cover therretreat. " methey lay on the ground
they were comparatively sale, but the moment
one attempted 10 rlse he did 1t at the imminent
risk OF hls HE BY jumping up and running
few steps and then throwing themselves Hat ON
the ground again, they managed, ia this way,
to work their way back to the woods. They
presented a singular and almost ludlcrous ap-
pearaoce IN their dangerous retreat, Nearly
twenty OF their number Were either killed or
wounded.
There are many incidents connected with tins
day work, " hIch are worth relating, but doubt
less you will receive full and accurate dcscrip-
tious ol them long before this letter reaches you,
aud even nov 1t Is more than probable that your
readers are acquainted with all rs details be-