Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-12-12
From the Sixth Regiment.
CAMP NEAR AQUA CREEK, Va
Nov. 80, 1862.


time aud attention, / occasionally find
myself wandering in my imagination
back TO the Old Green Mountain State
to my home and all its surrounding en-
dearments. With those thoughts revol'
wing in my mind, sit down in my tent
with pen in hand, TO address few lines
to you. AS far as general news is con-
cerned, am minus. There has not any
thing worthy of note taken place in this
immediate vicinity since you last heard
from the company. We are now il
camp about miles from Aqua Land
ing on the Potomac. We are near one
branch of Aqua Creek. 1t empties into
the Potomac at the. Landing, where we
get our supplies. We have Il very
pleasant camping ground. aud have had
orders to arrange our tents so as TO be rs
comfortable as possible. 1t looks some
what as though we might stop here all
winter, but we cannot tell how soon we
may move. 1t depends altogether on
the movements Of Secesh-their move
ments govern ours to some extent.
Our army, as general thing, feel
very much dissatisfied with the change
that the War Department has seen fit to
make in regard to our commanding Gen
eral. Many troops would have been
glad to thrown down their arms and
gone home. They would do for him
what they never will do for any other
General. lie had their entire confidence
and whatever order was issued by lit
lie Mac, was most willingly and respect
fully obeyed by both officers and men.--
He was, and still continues to be. in our
estimation, noble soldier and a worthy
commander and we never shall have Il
commander that we shall like rs we did
him. Not that we in the least question
the loyalty or military qualifications Of
Gen. Burnside--but it seems like taking
Il father from the family, and fear that
the change that has been made is fraughl
with evil to the best interests of the gov.
ernment. But we will hope for the best
and pray God to bring speedy termi
nation to this unholy war, and restore
peace and love TO hearts where now
spite and hatred reign and rule, and also
restore US to our homes and friends in
safety.
Since / wrote you last we have seen
some very pleasant times, and some that
were rather rough. When wrote you
last we were in Mary land, the next day
aGer the cloeo or tic L~t,ls &C Aati~ton,
Since then we have passed 3 weeks very
pleasantly at IIagerstown, Md, and at
the close Of the above mentioned period
we took up our line Of march toward
the old Virginia shore, where we arrived
in safety. We have since then had some
times that try mems souls the soles OF
their feet any way. We have been on
the march almost every day until we ar
rived here, Nov. 18Th, lame and tired
Since then We have not much to do only
the necessary camp guard, and fatigue,
and once in a while a dose of picket that
does every soldier good. Since tke re-
moval of Gen. Mcclellan we have been
changed from the right wing of the army
to the left. The CHI aud 9TH corps form
a Grand Division Of the army, and are
commanded by Maj. Gen. Franklin, the
recent commander of the 6h corps-and
Mai. Gen. Smith, our Division General,
now commands the 9Th corps and Brig
Gen. Howe, our Brigade commander,
commands Smiths old division and Col
Whiting, of the "a Vermont is in com
mand of the brigade. There has been a
general shift o! officers all through The
whole army, and it will be some time be-
fore they get the old machine fixed up
and in running order-and by the time
that it is fairly set in operation the War
Department will be ready to make a
new shift.
A good time for the tax-paying COM
munity. ] don't much wonder that they
complain of the slow movemegts but if
they think they are having hard time,
Just tell them TO come into the field and
change places with US. l think HAT by
the time they had been here one year,
that they could go home and pay their
taxes without! grumbe.
We have now been in the service four.
teen months, and
1t seems to me but yesterday,
Nor scarce so long ago,
Since we shouldcrcd our musllets
To charge the fearful foe.'
But when we come to trace our steps
back TO where we started we know that
it must take all the time that we have
had to accomplish what we have done,
and yet all we have done seems to- be