The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-11-24

range. do MT know that any one in our regi-
ment was hit or hurt, but know that Just on my
right there was soldier, knapsack, and six
days rations tumbled Into promiscuous heap
on account of cannon ball plunging dangerous
ly near them. AS no one was hurt, and only
one fellow very much frightened, We concluded
that we had right to laugh at this fellows mis-.
hap, although twas miracle that be was not
killed dead on the spot. These caunon-balls as
they came tearing along through the air almost
exactly in range, could often be distinctly seen
although the batteries from which they were
fred were over the hill out of sight. Some Of
them appeared TO be obong chunks of iron, and
looked like bird flying swiftly through the air,
though they moved SO very rapid as to appear to
the eye mere speck, utterly incompetent to
make the shrieking noise that always followed
them,
We expected to be ordered forward every
minute, but the regiments engaged needed none
of our help, and We remained where we were
until the firing had ceased, and night had come
on. 1t was quite cold, and we soon had great
rousiDg fires built, and our coffee made, when the
order cam for US to go on picket to their sup
port. We remained 10 line all night and till
noon Sunday, when the order came to advance.
All had been quiet that forenoon, and no firing
heard except now and then gun fired by some
timid picket, aimed probably at some imaginary
rebel, or else fired by some mischevous soldier,
aimed at a rabbit or pig Coy mistake of course),
but which is of too frequent an occurrence to oc-
cason any remark. The story was told of our
brilliant success the night before, which was
cheering enough. Our men had captured 1900
prisoners, took their battery, and drove the enc
my out Of sight and hearing. The rebels fought
we'll, but were caught in trap and had to surren-
der. Doe rebel lieutenant showing fight after he
| had surrendered his men, had his brains knocked
out by the butt of gun for his cowardy audaci-
ty
On cur way back we passed over the ground
of the fight, covered, as such places usually are,
with pieces of cartridge boxes, muskets and other
broken Implements Of war. There were graves
being dug, and little further along were several
rebels sleeping their last sleep, and only waiting
their turn to be laid away in their last resting
place. Alas for them Even the soldiers har-
dened by war, whose duty it was to conslgn them
to their rough tombs, felt touch of sympathy
for their sad fate, and for the moment forgot that
few hours before they were engaged IN deadly
strife with the senselesS handful Of clay that lay
stiff and dead before them.
We crossed the Ra1pahannock just above the
earthworks that are on each side of the river at
this place, on the rebels pontoon bridge. The
railroad bridge that we burned month ago, was
just below these same earthworks We moved
forward in shape to give or receive battle any
time that our enemies were willing to accept a
fight. Marching in line Of battle is the hardest
way in the world to march, but we advanced to
Brandy Station in that way, distance of about
five miles. This same distance and same ground
we had marched over once before in the same
way. 1t was month lacking four days before ;
and on that time we were accommodating to see il
Lee was trying to chase US now we were sure
that we were chasing him, and to all appearances
quite successfully. We slept in line Of battle, at
least such was If position, for we were on good
place, and expected fight, but so far as sleeping
was concerned, We lad very indifferent success,
for the night WIS intensely cold, and the raw
northwest wind utterly disregarded all the
blankets We could pile on to us. We built us
fires OF material That we had to CLEAN from far
and wide, for troops have passed and repaSaed
ever the ground so much that every rail and ev.
cry bitQf fuel has been picked up and burned
long ago. Each fire had circle Of men around
it, who would warm themselves and then lay
down and sleep till the cold drove them back to
the fire asain. We remained here till Monday
night, when We marched further upon the right
to our present position. We are now about six
miles from Rappahannock Station, and about
haf that distance from the river
o..t.t.. .u..yt,. ANTI-REBEL.
From the Northwestern CHRISTIAN Advocate.