Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-10-02


A. They were the toughest looking set oil
creatures ever saw, their features, hair, and
clothing matted with dirt and filth, and the
scratching they kept up gave warrant of yer.
min in abundance The secession ladies of
Frederick used to call the troops of General
Banks "nasty dirty creatures" and the Union
lists had adopted species of signs to remind
them of their old taunts. Whenever Union
ist met secessionist on the street he would
commence to scratch, which all understood.
q. What do you think of the purpose Of
the rebel armyP
A. They admit that their coming into
Maryland was n question of starvation or food.
They were almost famished for food when they
reached the Potomac, and say that for three
days they had lived principally on green corn
and apples.
Q. Blu what is their purpose nowP
A. They are in full force, and undoubtedly
proposed when they crossed the river to meet
Gen. Pope, and serve him as thev did on the
other side of the river, and capture Washing
ton. But when they heard that General Nc
Clellan was before them in full command they
became more cautious in their movements.
Q. What is their opinion of General NJ
Clellan?
A. They respect and fear him. In fact they
laugh at Pope and Mcdowell, and say that they
advanced on them with the fullest confidence of
defeating them and destroying their army.
Had they found Pope in command on the
MARYLAND side they think they would have been
in Washington in a few days.
Q. But what is their purpose now?
A. We'll, when l left Frederick on Tuesday
evening, il was under the conviction that they
were about to leave, and | feared that they
might desire to take me with them. ! had
mixed among them so much, and talked so
freely that feared they would think / knew
too much to be left behind. There was every
indication that they had become alarmed at the
systematic movements of Gen. Mcclellan, and
were looking well to secure line of retreat
back to Virginia. The starting of General
Jackson with his immense division, estimated
at from $4,000 to 10000 men of all arms,
toward Hagerstown, was looked upon as the
first indications of a backward movem ent
There were also evidences OF trepidaton among
the troops, who began to think they were not
on safe ground.
@. DO you hink they had any expectation
of reaching Baltimore?
A. Not unless they had first succeeded in
defeating Mcclellan and capturing Washington.
| They would never leave the line of the Poto-
mac so long as General Mcclellan was at hand
| to move on their rear
q. Did the secessionists of Frederick give
them any demonstrations of welcome
A. The great mass of the better classes of
sympathizers in Frederick have kept entirely
aloof from them, and regret their presence
Those of no property and little sense gave them
a noisy welcome, and some of them will go
back into Virginia with them-not to Join the
army but TO avoid the draft. A committee of
secession citizens went out to welcome them,
but most of them were soon ashamed of the
\ mn th,,. h,,l
keepers have lost their goods with others, and
wear most dolerous countenances.
Q. Have they driven any cattle across the
riverP
A. Well, | cannot say positively. They have
driven great deal of cattle through the town,
some of them out in the direction of their
camps, and some towards the Gords. OF course
no one is permitted to go toward the fords.
have heard, however, that they have driven
large quantities of cattle across.
q. DO you think they intend to enter Penn
syvania?
A. Not unless they defeat the army of Gen
Mcclellan then, of course, they will be able
to go where they choose. The movement of
Jackson up towards Hagerstown is with the
intention of making raids into PENNSYLVANIA !;
but if Gen. Lee lie driven from the line of the
Monocacy by Gen. Mcclellan, Jackson will
hasten back into Virginia by way of the ford at
Williamsport A heavy rain storm might also
hurry their movements back across the river
without making fight.
Q. Do the rebel soldiers look to be in good
healthP
A. Yes generally speaking. They are gaunt
and hardened by exposure, though many of
them were suffering with diarrhea, on account
of the food they had been eating.
Q. Did you meet many Baltmoreans among
them
A. No, not many. | questioned them with
regard to the Maryland troops, and they gem
orally answered that there were but few OF
them left They had been in so many hard
fights that they were either in their graves or in
the hospitals. The Maryland regiments had
been so diminished in numbers that they were
disbanded. Those that are still in the service
are acting as substitutes in the various regi-
ments.
Q. Are there many Irish and Germans among
them?
A. Yes, there is pretty much the same pro-
portion of foreign element as in our army.
They are not so bitter as the native born, but
all boast of their powers over the Yankee
Q. Do they think that they are superior SOL
diers to the federal troopsP
A. The men do, though the officers candidly
admit that our soldiers fought well, but that
our generals were not equal TO those OF the
southern army. They say that their victories
were obtained by out generating our generals.
Both officers and men admitted that if General
Mcclellan was out of the way they would soon
be in Washington.
Q. Were there any church services at Fred
erick on Sunday last
A. Yes, there were service in most of the
churahes and some of the sodiery attended.
At thr Methodist church the Rev. Robert Cad
den prayed most deyotedy for the success of
the Union army, and for the president of the
United States and all in authority.
Q. What do you think of the rebel cavalry
A. They were quite numerous, but their
horses presented a poor appearance. They
bore the evidence of hard usage and scarcity of
provender.
Q. How many leading generals were in
Frederick?
A. Generals Lee, Jackson, and Longstreet
were all there. Roger A. Pryor is there. and
has all the appearance of an incarnate ftnd
Bradley Johnson, as provost marshal, gave no
offence to the Union men, and seemed desirous
of securing their good opinion.
The best order had been kept in Frederick
by the provost guard. and the stores had been
cleared of all kinds of produce, anu wagons
and vehicles had been pressed into the service to
move it off. One merchant had $4,000 OF con-
fenerate scrip in his possession. which had been
given him for his stock of -four, at the rate of
SIG per barrel They paid 70, everything