Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-07-15
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CANr oN JAMES RIVER,

July 4th, loGl
DEAR SIR improve a moment. which Il
the hrst have, o apprIse our friends IN Yer
mont Vi our WHEREABOUTS and 0atuS. A week
ago We became aware that McCl lellan had deci-
dgd 70 change our position from tae Lheks.
homlnY To the James river The distance from
the lat Ol our lac TO the James river was only
about six Or eight miles but u reach this polnt
We had 10 move down The Chck4honuy on il.
left bank about tive miles, which wJuld be q
rrtrograde movement, and then pass over tie
highlands to the james The wnole feat has
been performed with great success, although
for five days W. Nere subjected " continual
lighting, 10 which several hard batsias have
been fought between our rear guard (Smiih'
Division ana NE enemy, who 10 force attelnp.
tad TO hsrrass the movement Our loss ha-
been small considering the amount Of hghtng
ana Ihe nscesoary faugur, but il has fallen al.
most entirely on the Vermont Brigade, winch
makes It heayy Tor us. Bu; you will get the foil
particulars through Others, and as have only
llnie ~ write short letter nay purpose Is mann
~ 10 apprise the friends ahd relatives OF the
Incmbcr' Of my company VI their situation.
Anowlng that . thousand uuGgs untrue may be
reported
Ne nave suffered some % nearly ali tie en-
1a1em,u,r since We s.arsrd, but our man loss
N4- IL Savage station, un tag OK aha kie.4-
moul rallrjal Our brigade was ordered lhro
tie woods @ charge % Jhe enemy and drive
them itum Tie Station, which we dld, and an
sure We shall q, the credit u dong il IL gall4n.
style The enemy had tSJ pieces OF artillery d
little 10 the lett OF the railroad, ana from them
they threw grale ana canister square iu or
faces until W. drove them from the piece. at
tue point OF the bay0net
As or regiment Was dep0yed 10 make t.
charge from CLOSED columns Dy DIVISION - uue
Vi battle, It brought my company into he open
Geld and only - lev rOG, iron the rebels dnd A.
~ ar the color company, W. were an 1speclai
mark but our tail sergeant. Harrington, DoblY
carried the Did a4s square iorw4ri TO the cau-
non moutl, aud past 70 and ae was well sus-
tanned by the men, all % whom rushed on = run
siscf the frightened rstv.s until We drove them
across the plain s. the woods, when darkness
prevented further pursuit. The tlith kegl-
iuutt wsfs 0l our lalt and .wu cJmpan.e. 4
anu X Of The Seconi deployed ~ sklrmsber'
10 irons ot ali The THIRD. Fourth ava Sixth
wer, IN support, and calamity did their duty
OF the strong, vigorous company ul seventy
I've men i5g duty Ia the ranks (;he lIgrest ~
ths regiment which had week aso. have
only about thlrty-hye or forty insu. ; oomsrs
y, greensboro Is supposed 10 be killed Henry
S.earns OF Montpelier, do. E W LOOMS oi
Montpelier, elt arm broken. Ii /. natris 81
Orange, arm broke shot through the thigh aal
also wounded IN the haad. II. >toddari i
Aalsheid, shot 10 gruln, serious. e. {, Dodge
-h8t through The neck, serious. stephen AH-
dersan, Nergrnnrs. ,hot through both legs on
supposed Iu hs broken. l.. d, savage. snol
through the thu h Geo. Withers lett arm
sr0ken Pttrics MahAn, SHOT through thumb
Ioint William Clark. vne thumb shot 1i
Fri ). Gunulson, brulssu severely by frightened
cavalry horses running on TO h,m thtrus j
Herring, severe cut on the toe JOINT with au axe
while clearing away brush . make a road or
passway hnecani keltou, ana Charles Plat
are supposed To have been taken prisoners y atie
helping remoy. the wounded from the wood,
near the enemy position
Their friends may be sure they are alive as
they assisted mt 10 this duty after the blttle,
and know they were near tna enemy iues
with me-so near that one Of tae enemy sur
geous (ol the oh Geurga) came up TO IN uui
inquired o. me, " Are any ot our wouuued boy,
here asked him who he was H. SAID.
guess, then, you are my prlsone-,-I am a Cay
tain oil The % Nt. Regiment Has surprise
WIS manifested hy a sudden lcrk Of hts horse 1u
TO his launches sei2'l thc bride and ayId
him. He then felt for hls psto,, bat
drew my sword and aimed the point o., t; al ais
breast too soon Tor hin,, when ha sai, " Hold
on, hold On, Captain, viii 70 with ylu. And
he did 20 with me to the provost guard, wh re
| lelt hun. Tie proved to le qGite civil after
fairly captured. The seven first named wound
cd We got out to a house that was established
for hospital, aud for want ., ambulanees We
had to leave them there to be taken prisoners.
but We left \ surgeon with them, all tue YER
mont wounded beng leit together
Aside from constan, fight i've days m sue
cession during the day, We would have to follow
on 10 the night aud uvertake the main body, 50
that We have had one vt the most h,gulng
weeks ever Witnessed and u good many men
not wouud,d or taken prisoners are Struggling
beund or are sick ana uaht lOg odiy But our
courage is still good ann We have all confidence
ln tht ina, triumph oi our arms hut yoU must
,aii,, atoI come aud hc,p Us We ueed more
men Nau, the rich AID poor, great Al. stna.'
IN the SOUTH tnhs, auu - into he general hsht,
there seems % be 10 the North sort Of hanging
back Of men Of po>tiuu and standing but yen
have all got TO 60 10 before this war is ended.
I hayc rot to have tnrt, recruits from Montpe-
lier soon, WHO arc the men? They have g3i 70
he had and no msak'. You have sent Of all
thu bows ana the men have got to come.
Your. Truly. +. '. r.
p. S.-snce writing the above some OF Il
bav. lell me they are sure they SAW Stearus alive
alter the lighting WAS oyef - he vii prob
ably yet turn ny