The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-23
(Our War Corrtspo denoe)
From the Fifth Vermont Regiment.

III K. W LIZARD Ill WIS raining phito ""io
Yesterday afternoon when | finished my letter OF
that date, and told you that there were no IN
dlcations OF its coasng. lt has rained without
stint ever since,-is coming down now at u good
rate, and beat INTO us by driving, chilling
wind. But hear no grumbling, though every
body looks surly and cross. To prevent slckness
from this much exposure, especially colds and
ague, the medical staff have just issued to the
whole Brigade raions of whisky and quinine,
and have heard OF none temperate as to re-
fuse the dose, and not q few would be Z lad to
have it repeated, that Is, If the storm continues
| gave you yesterday BIT OF history about
our present cump ground, and told you, OF
course, ali l knew, not expecting that should
ever have OCCASION to write again about these
White House people Or premises. But Sd" a
letter to day, that was found about here by
some one in the Second Vermont, some OF the
contents Of which are quite interesting and In
some senses important.
The letter without date) was written at
Fredericksburgh, Va, by Col. Il. +. Lee, son
! Of Gen. Lee, to his mother, or " ma, as he
terms her, now domiciled at the White House
on this place. After pithy and quite sharp
rebuke to his wife fur neg lectlng to write him
as often as he expected, the Colonel says, Il give
you his very words,) " The many reyerses we
have met with have not discouraged me" lie
may have told the truth then, but the signs of
the times indicate that most of the +. +. VS.
are tired and disappointed, if they are not dis
couraged. {" The whole people seem to be panic
stricken, and vie with each other in circulating
the most improbable reports If the Northern
people were panic-strlcken and = vleing "
In that way, l think that some OF our Colonels
would feel discouraged.
:. 1 mIst s.v ,hut hp Surrardar o( NoShyi la
by the Tennessoans caps the climax, und 1 think
that Pillow and Floyd ought to be hung Tor dis
gracefully leaving their commands" The
young man is no fool, if he is rebel Pillow
aud Floyd had ought to be hung, first by Uncle
Sam for stealing and treason, anu then by old
jeff for cowardlce and treacnery.
He then, after few remarks about domestic
affairs says, - hear 1T reported that pa is
to be made Secretary Of War. | should mt
consent to that, as | do no, wish to have him
mixed up in politics. bnt should be lad to see
HIM made Commanderu cbiet.' Amt he
BRICK That " mixed up in politics is IA
splendid idea, for that is just about as bad
= mix az most men ever get INTO And then
his desire to s. see him Conmander-ln-chief.'
There's pride and aspiration for you Ivy the
wholesale. guess the young man amt BADLY
discouraged alter all ior his +. +. V. blood
seems to circulate freely " p. y Commander
in chief Amt that sublime? PA ten.
Lee, going into Little Macs bag first and fore
most, the bell weather of treason Keep Oh
aspiring young man, but beware the ides of
June.
Before closing his lengthy and quite interest
ing eplste he advises his mother, as a prudent
measure, to tase an inventory of the White
House property, cattle, horses, sheep, hogs, &c.
Now, what does that mean Putting this and
that together,-the " inventory - and the " not
discouraged y sentlm ent,- and we have quite
puzzle. He certainly must be very prudent
young man, or else he had got on the scent of
big NICE Well if ever l should meet Col
Lee, am not sure but that should be just Gu
rious and impudent enough to ask him Tor an
explanation OF that puzzle.
Every day We see new evidences of The de-
moraliz,tion of the confederate army. Yester,
day, not long after we lett Cumberland Land
ing, rebel captain, sergeant and forty men
without arms marched into camp and gave them
selves up as prisoners Of war. What account
they gave of themselves or of their army, | have
not heard, but expect to do go to-day, but such
| a deserton is as good an index of the condition
of the army as the Barometer is OF wind and
rain.
You will recolect tina just before we left
Fairfax County, Gen. Mcclellan in his address
to the army, told US that" his movements would
seem mysterious to u.s. and 80 indeed they are
just at this time ut any rate. " hat ne intends
to DO with US now Is truly ysteriols-nonc of
us are able to figure it out. Were we to make
a central advance, and reduce their works on
the Chickahominy, why make such halt here
We do not understand 1t, but at the Same time
we have no misgivlngs about the Generalship
of the army. If flank movement is contem-
plated, then here is just the place to cross the
Pamunkey, and make towards McDowel's col
umn, and why not make such move? There
can certainly be nothing gained by reducing
their fortlhcations On the Chickahominy, when
tins army can get IN position upon their flank
much nearer Richmond. With Burnside, on
the South, Banks on the w est. and Mcdowell
and Mcclellan on the North of Richmond, there
can certainly be no retreat left for them, save
this Peninsula, and it is the last place that
army will ever iall back upon. McDowe ell cam
not come to US or even make an advance near
enough to act US support, but we can 60 to
him, or near enough to allow him to take his
forces over the river without danger. But the
specuations of soldier amount to but little.
There IS plan, and soon it will be fully carried
out.
You have heard, Of course, about Old Abe,
and our naval forces at Fortress Monroe. What
the " special " or official report is | do not
know, but the camp story is a little spicy:
In "ye oiden time " Old Abeserv2d his time
upon fiat boat, " warping " and :" printing +"
his craft up and down the Wabash and other
Wnuta, 4