Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-12-16
(our War Correspondence
From the 18th Regiment.
CAMP VERMONT, Va,

CAMP VERMONT, Va,
December 9th, 1862.
DKAs SIR For the past week, We have
been constantly on tae move. AZ you doubtless
have learned ere this. the 18th. l4sh and 18th,
10 IT this camp the 25th ult. We we're two days
in reaching the place where we were ordered to
eneamp, which was short distance frem Union
Mis, or rather the ruins, for but very little re-
mains of them. We were eneamped on the
brow Of hill, which was accessible by only
barrow pass cut through the rocks, and go steep
and rvhgh as to almost bid defiance to the mule
teams to ascend. The 18th were encsmped o
shor, distance to the right, tho 18Th on the left
and to each there was q battery of artillery at
tached, and to our regiment there was one bat
terry and section OF another they were splen.
did ten. pound Parrot guns, and were manned
by as strong sad robust looking fellows, as
have seen. While there, We were employed
in doing picket duty three companies were
detailed, daily, from each regiment Our I'D.
vsncsd line extended about five miles from the
rail road night or two since. Co. r,
brought in two men that were mounted. The
horses were branded with the letters G. 5. How
they came by the hsrses, as near rs can learn,
is the way that most of the secesh get what they
have, an that i, either by stealing it from our
| Government, or from one another. However,
our Colonel chose TO keep them in custody until
they could give better account of themselves.
Yesterday few of us visited the cid battle field
Of Bull Run On our way thither, we we're
halted several times by our cavalry pickets,
but on showing our passes, were permitted TO
proceed. short time after our arrival on the
field, VIC observed body of cavalry emerging
from the woods on the opposite side of the field
and nearly mile from where We stood, thew
after shor! consultation, struck into gallon
and came on towards us. We formed ourselves
to receive thcm not knowing whether they
we're friends or foes. They were, however a
scouting party, belonging to our cavalry pick
cts; so we were disappointed in regard to their
character-perhsIa some Of them happily. We
looked the field over till the sun had settled
well toward tho western horizon, when we
started for our camp. Each Of us had something
TO carry, either shell, swords, fattsned bullets
Or anything to keep, that We could carry
With us conveniently. On arriving in camp,
We wero ordered to leave at 7 o'clock in the
morning for Camp Vermont; so we all went
to packing up, SO as to be ready. though the
order for a backward movement was not reished
very well by many of tho boys. When in
formed that they were to 60 on to the care,
they felt rather better, but wished they were
going the other way. Some of them felt rather
" good-natured," tonight, and a good reason
they have for feeling so, for it has been showing
mess all day, and in lew minutes after our ar
rival the mud was three inches deep, beauti-
ful place to pitch our tents and lay down to rest,
was it not? This moving eighteen or twenty
miles, and in hard rain, and then back to the
same spot in week or SO, is little rough,
though ssppose it is all right, yet some Of US
" don't quite zee it," It's rumored that the
Vermont Brigade is 30 20 into winter quarters
here, for the defence OF Washington. | hope
it's not so, fsE wish to the fate OF the Con
federate Capital sealed ere long, and the sooner
the better. | trust this will serve to fill some
corner OF Your valuable Fireman, for the peru
sal of By friends that patronize it and if they
are not friends, take the advantage my po-
sition affords me, and call them so.
Yours Truly,
&. S. H., Co. ii. 18th Rsg,.