Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-12-05

While here the news Of the capture Of
Roanoke caused Us much joy and the rebels
great depression, Hardly had this news
driven away the gloom that hung over our
army movements when like thunder peal
came the tidiugs Of the 81 Fort DOnelson
victory" Nothing could exceed the excite
ment which this made among the people.
Union spirit showed itself, and not few
were arrested for aY0wing themselves in
favor Of the sold UEI0n.'
Not long after this news came that we
were 70 be exchanged for an equal number
Of Roanoke prisoners.
Imagination cannot paint our Joy. For
months We had been shut lut from the light
Of liberty, sul red from hunger, cold, sick
ness, insults and tie bitter feeling that We
had no means VI AIDING IN the glorious cause
Of maintaining the integrity Of the Union.
1t was thc hour Of sunrise to cur souls and
We thought the day Of relief had come.
But " put not your trust in rebels soon be-
same pTo7er5 among us.
We started llr Richmond in detachmcnts
Of one hundred mon and officers. The trans
portation furnished us was very good and
they seem d TO do all possible for our COM
fort.
Ii was laughabla 10 see the change in the
remarks Of the PEOPLE. There was no cur
sing yankees OF bOIsting Of southern eX-
plol,s; gloom had settled down on the people
and 1t was 4 heavy load.
All wished the war over and have TO
doubt if Richmond had fallen, that all North
Carolina would have come over 10 the side Of
the Union. The coniederacy eau sustain
only success Few countries can stand firm
and united in defeat ami disaster the South
never cln-passion, ambition and pride are
the ingredients of the rebellion, and the fire
oI few great defeats will melt them away
and the cJnfeleracy will destroy itssE
One Of SJu-h Carolina greatest men said
to his men
We must not lose another great battle
this year or We are ruined. The fall Of
Dea.isga and Roanoke and the falling back
OF our army from Manassas have depressed
the PEOPLE, filed even the hearts Of our
leaders with doubt, ruined confidence in our
money checking the sympathy Tor us in the
northern states and in foreign countries, and
finally making thousands OF traitors among
u.s.
On my way up was told by union
man ell about the intended attack on our
vessels by the Merrimac, ! mentioned this
to Col. o. b. Wilcox who thought for
while 1t must be a sell, but the news a few
davs later showed ne how certain was my
information.
All the able bodied men were in camps or
instruction. | learned that nearly coo, 900
men were thus preparing for the field. They
said if they could cnly keep our armies IN
check until June (lS62) they would then
have plenty Of troops 10 crush Us. Ihey
seemed to have spies in Washington who
were a le to furnish them with information
of every intended movement, every new ex-
redition and the exact number Of our forces.
Il must have been some one in the war Dc
partment whose position enabled h-m to
know every thing.
They claimed to have even Generals in our
army who so much favored them as to be
false to the government they served.
One officer. who had been long in the U.
S. Army, in conversation with Gen. .. b.
Wilcox. remarked " The great body OF old
army officers were pro-slayery. They have
a deep sympathy for Us. and contempt
for the mass Of the North. They will not
allow US to be crushed if they can help It,
for they believe as We do. They have taken
M that side Just as the lawyer would the
Wronr side Of a case-bec2use he could not
have tie right side. and be the leading coun-
eel
l mention this only to show how many
south imagine they have a large circle of
friends here and not few in our own army.
We saw on our way up, at Raleigh, the
nrisoners that had returned from Roanoke
Thew spoke of the very kind treatment they
had received, but thought it certain that we,
in the chivalr0us land of the South, had re-
eeiyed much better fare. When we told
them how we had been treated they said 1t
was a shame.
Petersburgh and Richmond were busy an
preparing Tor the Spring campaign, and so
attracted less attention. Arriving at RIeh-
nond we were quarteTed in the hospital for
the night.