Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-10-31
Our Armu Correspondence.
FROM THE THiRrEENTH REGIMENT


CAMP tAsEY. EAST CAPITOL HILL,
WAsHtSGrOS, ID. c., Oct. 10, 1867 !
u DEAR JoURNAL:-lt is now nearly three
weeks since | left Montpelier, with the prom
ise that would keep your readers posted in
relation to the Thirteenth Regiment but the
duties Of the camp have been such that |
have found no time for writing until this ev-
oning. According to the almanac it is Sun
day but aside from the religious service Of
the afternoon, one accustomed to the usual
quiet OF Sunday in Vermont would not real
ize that this was the 'one day IN seven set
apart for rest and religious meditation But
military life knows little or nothing of Sun
day, the sound Of the fife and drum and the
glittering Of bayonets greeting the ear and
eye on this, as on all other days Of the week
The men are excused from their daily drill
but the Sunday morning inspection, and the
washing and general inspection Of the camp,
! gives to it as busy and lively an appearance
AS on a week day. Indeed, were it not for
the almanac, a novice in military life would
little dream that Sunday had not been blotted
from the calendar.
e will not now 60 back to Out sojourn in
Camp Lincoln, at Brattleboro, or attempt
q description Of our journey to this city, as
other correspondents have told you the
principal incidents Of interest connected
with both. One item, however, which has
found its way into the Vermont papers,
J ! cannot suffer to pass unnoticed. 1t is the
following:
4 The Thirteenth Vermont Repircai reached New
10y ihe indciatgablc agent OF The state, Col. Howe.
NJ The statement that we reached Jersey city
on the 18th is probably true, though will
guarantee that not one in ten of the men
u could, on that morning, have told whether il
was the 18th or the 2lst day of the month
Hurried into camp at Bratteboro. hurried
r through our outfit, and hurried out again, as
+ We were, it would be passing strange if we
- not only lost our reckoning in point Of time
but lost our point Of compass as we'll But
admitting that the date Of the Transaction was
d correct, decidedly object 10 the refreshed
e part Of the story. W reached the wharf at
4 Jersey City at about SIX o'clock on Sunday
re morning, and Immediately commenced to land.
m with the assurance that Col Howe had caus-
d. cd refreshments to be provided for us as soon
b as the Regiment could be landed We march
Ia ed off the splendid steamer continental.
IN and formed in line of battle on the wharf,
of stacked arms, aud then waited some two or
&c three hours for the promised Refreshments.
-, AT last they came and such Refreshments =
" II they were the free gift of some charitable
soldiers relief society, have nothing to say
n but TO thank them for their good intentions,
and pity the scantiness of the funds that al
a lowed them TO do no better. But if they
e. were furnished at the expense of the State
be of Vermont, it is due to the loyalty of the
/. Green Mountain State TO know that somebody.
know not who, failed to do their duty in
p providing for the necessities # those Of her
/. sons who have taken heir lives in their hands
81
which we all 50 much love. Some half-do2en
lr barrels of hardly know what to call it. but
had l seen it standing by the side of some
% thrifty Vermont pig sly, | should have
& thought II more in its appropriate place-were
N set upon the platform beside the railroad
is track, and ladled out to the soldiers, with a
is slice or two of bread, and cup of poor cot
fee, as their breakfast
The larger part Of the Regiment took
il, bat many of those who had not already
tired Of waiting and gone to the restaurants
and satisfied their hunger at their own ex-
! pense, very soon did so, leaving the-cali
~ it what you please--to be served out for pur-
i pose to which it was better adapted That
1t the 18th Regiment was refreshed at jersey
d City is true, but VIC have yet to see The first
N man among US who did not patronize the
eating saloons Of the city, who regards the
~ whole affair with anything like an agreeable
a remembrance. 1t may have been the result
& Of accident and that no blame really attaches
D. to any one connected therewith but it was
10 unfortunate, to say the least Of 10. So many
times have ! seen in the papers notices simi-
90 lar to the one To which have referred that
be | could but ask myself les this fair sample
e. hope, however, that the legislature, now ia
o.. session at Montpelier will not make thi.
statement OF the case the foundation for AM
ne investigating committee TO, it is bad enough
10 il Is without its being made any worse by
T. attempts 10 cover it up.
., The contrast between the treatment that
r. we received at Jersey City and that we re
r, ccived at Philadelphia could not have been
De greater had the two places been as far remov-
ID ed from each other is the North pole from
|. the South, The lefty of brotherly love ha,
I'd laid the 18th Vermont Regiment. as it has
lg all other Regiments passing through that city,
under especial obligations for its hospitality.
PIE We were met at the ferry landing by a commit
,o tee from the Cooper shop Volunteer Refresh
in ment Saloon, and escorted 20 their headquar-
= tiers on Osego Street where a sumptuous re-
rs past was in waiting for us, prepared by the
70 citizens OF Philadelphia and such a repast
a5 Many times have | read accounts of the re-
NJ Philadelphia, but none can appreciate the ex-
In tent and munihcence of these receptions save
SIX those who are the actual recipients of them
"a All that heart could wish or hunger crave
a was set before us, and the good cheer with
n which we were greeted was enough to revive
ct the most Respondent if so be there CHANGED
I'll to be one such among us. The streets were
" literally packed VITA men, women and chill
il dren, and from oldest to youngest there was
ed some word OF kindly cheer to the soldiers
who were vending their way to the tented
. field. Men and women, from full and sym
, pathizing hearts, poured out their Prevent
God bless you we passed down the
streets and the little children We'd with
a, each other to see who should do the Union
ds soldier the greatest service. Hundreds OF
a., little hands were outstretched to tighten the
m burdens of both officers and privates and
y when there was no longer opportunity to
Il. serve us in that way, hundreds more crowded
to to grasp the hand, or even touch the gar
ma ments, Of those whom they had evidently
Iy been taught to regard as their friends and the
ne defenders OF their homes One little girl