Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-03-20

OrR tEvY EfroEE lsrpFEl' SSH E..- We
take thc following from the correspondence
of thc Boston T-a--l,- dated March
The Riprahamock is rolling directly at nay
f,.t, ami may b. here somr 30 yards acr''--
The banks On either sileare linei With Union aud
Confederate pickets within easy speaking lis
lance Of each other, and messages are constantly
passing between them Imagine yourself al the
Sc Lacy Hou~e''-lu elegant brick mansion with
terraces, now green with the first footprints Of
spring, aud descending nearly to the margin Of
the stream. On your right and left are we'll
manncl batteries pointing into the town. In
fruut Of vou risl the spires aud cupolas oi the
city OF fredericksburg which ha- the mark, in
almost every building, of the terrific cannouad-
ing in December last. Many Of the house, have
been repaired. however, aud the streets running
perpcndicularly 60 the river are full OF people in
plain sight OF you.
Listen to the sounds that rise. The city clock
is striking twelve, YOU count the strokes You
hear the shouts Of children, just let loose from
school, You catch the lively strains Of the rebel
hands; YOU hear the screams Of the e1ulisut sol
dicr- as they pass through the streets Behind
YOU. covciiuga space Of some forty square miles
Of territory. spread the grand divisions Of our
I1val army. and running your eve along in 'front.'
beyond the city, sou sec, as on a map, the plain
on which our brave men bled-you observe the
triple range Of heights, rising one above the other
in o kind Of semicircle, on which the enemy were,
and are still posted.
\ long line Of fresh earth, running across the
plain, nearly parallel to the first rows Of heights
now indicates the spot where our noble men sleep.
But a group Of secession ladies elegantly dress
cl, and with mementos for their friends, are now
advancing from the ." Lacy House" 10 a little
boat with has Of truce at the stern; the skf
sides rapidly across the stream, Just where the
upper line Of pontoons were laid--their relatives
give them a hearty welcome on the other shore,
and we stand as quietly and peacefully between
the guns Of two mighty hostile armies, as If IN
our pleasant ''studio" at home.
Spring is opening rapidly here, and robins and
other birds are singing merriy The roads,
however, are still very bad. Horses and mules
sink 10 the knee in many places. and some got in
so far the other day that the only remedy was to
shoot them in the mud. Our grand army, which
was orig aally encamped along the line Of the
railroad from Aqua TO fredericksburg, has
spread itself out on either side, where wood and
timher could b. found, until now 1t occupies an
area Of some forty square miles. In passing
through You are struck with the air Of comfort
in the different camps and the healthiness Of the
men. The country is quito uneven. and the Hill
sides and Vallies are dotted all over with tents,
,iallc-, batteries, awlulinccS, Wagons and squads
Of men. The -oil Is # yellow reddish color.
and the water has the same sickly hue. Dead
ho-lie> of horses and mules lie scattered about IN
every direction. aud many little mounds. with a
piece Of pine boarl at the head, Indicate the final
resting place Of the brave soldier who vii hear
the tramp cf war more.
The prevailing spirit of the camp,, however.
j. life and -ai,-y. \ short life aud a merry one
j. the mottu 81 the soldier, and the bugle call
ri the cavalry and artillery, the fife sn'l drum of
the infintTy. the visits and Interchange, Of civil
ities Of the officer. and soldiers the raid, of our
n,en anil the enemy serve TO break up the hl"u"-
tony Of camp lfc, and to keep the men awake anil
Ia spirit. Quite number Of ll,lies now here,
and great preparations being made for the
marriage Of Capt. Hart. Of the " J. 9Th rcsi-
ment and Miss Nellie Limond, which ! to take
pl.s~ on ThHr-lay c'snin: next.