Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-06-26

CAMP ON THE CHICKAuoMINY,


FRIEND r, II have delayed replying to
yours much longer than / intended. As
an apology can only refer you to the shit
ting scenes OF an advancing army, of
which | am an auxiliary, There is-the
best way one can fix it-a tuckering out
process in keeping up Besides, | have
TO tax every muscle the moment We pitch
tents in keeping up my work, can write
you nothing new or interesting, for the
wires tell il all in advance. Indeed, we
wait ourselves for New York and Phila-
delphia papers for reliable details of our
battles. Camp rumors have got TO be
quite unsatisfactory and not safe to quote.
One may be true and may nOt,particularly.
We know this much to our hearts content,
that we are not before Yorktown, and that
we are (our brigade) only eight miles Gas
a crow would engineer) from Richmond,
but God only knows how soon we shall be
nearer. The woods swarm with the reb-
ell hosts, and they, deserters, prisoners
and contrabands daily tell us of their vast
numbers none say less than $50, 900, and
many say more than that; that it is i'm
possible to take their capital, &c. 1t will
probably be taken in due time, but it must
be costly job.
Our 4th VT Regiment is the extreme
right wing. and so near are they to the
enemy that it makes them in fact the out
costs. Lieut.. ID. tcld me to-day land so
have others in the regimenD that the
movements Of the enemy were distinctly
visible, and that with the aid of a good
/ glass their officers could be distinguished.
This is the most careless position the 4th
has been placed in, their camp being in
an opening not one hundred rods from the
enemy, in full view of his fortified ground
and in range of good rife. The only
security the boys have is small swamp
not quite fordable by infantry, which sep
arates us from them, otherwise they coulc
bag us in thirty minutes. We are abou
mile from the recent bloody battle field
the stencil arising from which reaches Ii
even here. The recent heavy rains hav
washed the earth away so as to expos
parts of many bodies. This trip of on
hundred miles has cost the Union arm,
not less than ten thousand men, and wha
the expense of the remaining eight or tel
will be we shall soon foot up. / don
know whether Gen. Mcclellan has chan
ged his policy of saving lite or not, bu
his orders-'to hold our position at what
ever cost " are becoming more frequent
and our army seem to start easier thar
they used TO. The indications of the mo
ment are that our forces will push alon!
Immediately, perhaps tomorrow. If so
you must expect to hear of some NOR,
bayonet charges-a mode we have adopt
ed for persuading our friends, the rebels
to give us more room. They seem Il
think US sincere when we assist them owe
fences with bayonet, and it strikes m,
as abundant proof. ..--.
l am growing sleepy and must retire t.
my blankets,-not a feather bed or hal
mattrass with white sheets, but a coupl
of U. S. blankets which are ready to rt
ceive me, while my mind will contem plat
centipede, copper head, or some othe
reptile in close proximity to my head.
hope if | am spared the sword, pe,tilsnc
and snake, to see you all again at hom,
Your friend, A.