The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-01-27
Trem the Messenger.
a March into Mississippi.
MEMPHls, Tenn. Dec. 10Th, l8(

MEMPHIS, Tenn, Dec. 10Th, 1862.
Mr.. EDITOR Some Of those who are week
ly readers Of the Messenger may perhaps re-
member letter published some weeks since,
| dated at Camp Hancock, Chicago, H. Time
has been on it's onward march, and SO have ar
mics. The rafting of car wheels, and the
louder trundling OF the locomotive, the sparse
ly settled plains, with occasional villages and
fewer cities, and lastly the undulating wood
lands between Chicago and Cairo, are as dim
pictures in the memory CT the past. Somewhat
{ more wildly do remember our steam oat ride
down the Mississippi; its muddy water, our
scanty rations and cold nights on the hurricane
deck ; our march to can't through the city,
among applauding whites and grinnng darkies;
the great Union demonstration. three thousand
persons in procession, with multitude of met
toed banners, and the rich appearance Of the
city, with it's ornamental trees and well arranged
streets, were also forcIbls in their impressions
upon my mind An old colored woman, lsOk
| ing from q window, said sue bad seen the like
eighty-eight years before.
A fortnights repetition Of camp life, though
always made pleasant by some excitement or
other, is still less pleasing to dwell upon. Guard
duty, the great intolerance to drill and general
improvement in military matters at Camps Han
cock and Douglas here went by the board, and
almost entirely gave place to those necessary
and agreeable things. Again the pleasant
weather that made November here like Septem-
Der in the camp we had left, was all an advan-
tage to us. But ct last, amid orders confused
and countermanded, our certain destiny came
end at the sound Of the reveille we arose as
three clock in the morning to strike our tents,
pack knapsacks, and prepare rstions for the
march.
The first day, our march was conducted in an
orderly leisurely manner, resting every hour,
and at every halt observing strict military de-
corum. But afterwards, as the men became
more wcaried, these nicer things were played
out." There are, within few miles of the
city, many private residences that evince wealth
and taste, the grounds being laid out with ever
greens and flowers, with pleasing arrangement
and variation.
Perhaps shonld have before spoken Of Elm
wood Cemetery, it's evergreen hedges, beautiful
vaults, and full-grown shade trees. These,
however, did not awaken the reflection that
did another scene, that was presented to me as
[ visited it. There are upon tho two sides of
gentle swell, tho graves of some nine hundred
rebel soldiers, who were buried there before the
capture of the city in last June. And more than
two hundred there are upon which the grass has
not yet grown, who have fallen by accident or
disease, since that time In different cause. As
was standing near, hearse, followed by the
usual squad of men with arms reversed, APP
preached with the remains of another yolun-
teer. The service was impressively pronounced
by the Chaplain, q few appropriate remarks
were made to those who stood around, the
usual salutes were fred and the earth ratified
upon the coffin. There were two new graves by
its side, awaiting some new corners. Thus,
thought I. in another sense, the grave is ever