The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-03-02
From the Vermont Cavalry.
EVANSVILLE, Va, February "a, 1868.

the defence of Washington, we are nevertheless,
engaged in duties as severe and arduous as we
ever endured in the field, even when in the face
of the enemy. Whites rebel cavalry makes US an
occasional visit, but we do not fear them. We
are willing to meet the rebels in fair open field
fight any ime, but the guerras do US the most
harm. They are constantly lowering around our
camp, ready to pounCe upon our soldiers whenever
they can get an advantage They steal up to our
picket posts at night, surprise and overpower our
men, and march them off before any reinforce
ments can be brought from camp. We have lost
quite number of men taken prisoners in this way,
and one man who was wounded some time ago,
while on picket, has since died in the hospital.
The utmost vigilence is required at all times TO
guard against surprise. Non commissioned off,
GERS in charge of the picket posts, have written
post Or take off their arms or sleep while on duty.
Besides doing the picket duty with force of two
hundred and fifty men, when sixty are required
each day to fill the detail for picket and PATROL
we are obliged to go on scouting expeditions as
often as once week. A description of our last
scout" may not be entirely uninteresting to your
readers.
On the 18Th inst, we started, 1870 strong, under
command Of Lieut.. Grout Of Co. |. 1t was a cold
rainy day,-the rain freezing as j; feI, and it was
with no very enviable feeling tina: we set out on
our weary march towards Leesburg. It was late
in the day when we started and we did not ar
rive at Goose Greek, until ten o'clock p II.
The bridge across the stream had been burnt
down by the rebels, so that we could cross only by
tording, and now the stream was swollen by the
rain SO that fording was rather hazardous exper-
iment. 1t was, however, accomplished with
no serious accident, although one man, E. Scott
of Co. c, came near losing his life. lie was
thrown from his horse into the dashing stream,
and would have been drowned had he not re-
ceiyed assistance. We met with no further adj
ventures worth mentioning until we arrived at
Leesburg, where, with the aid of" detectives. "
we made several arr, SITS of persons suspected of
being spies and smuggIers in the employ of Jeff
Davis & Co. The prisoners, to the number of
eleven, were placed in charge of Co. C, and 7, I'M
der command of Lieut.. ?. G. J. Cheney, who was
ordered to proceed with them to the Point of
Rocks, and from thence into Maryland. After
marching through seas of INDISPENSABLE mud we ar
rived at the Potomac opposite the Point of Rocks,
about o'clock the following morning. Here we
found it impossible to get terred across the river,
so We were obliged to make an attempt to re-
cross Goose Creek. Arriving at the creek, we
found that the water had risen so high that ford
ing was impossible. However, we thought it
might be possible to ford at some point up the
river. Going up the stream a mile, we found
another ford, but it was impassable But, as there
was ferry boat, we thought We would try to ferry
ourselves over and make our horses swim the
river. But the current was very strong, and it |
was debatable question whether we could get
the boat over, without going over the falls that
were just below But as the question could only
be decided by trying the experiment. couple of
US undertook to pole the boat over; but the water
was SO deep and the current SO strong, that we
could not keep her from going down. We had
got about half way over when we saw that she
was going over the dam in spite Of US, SO we turn
ed round head foremost and let her go. Down
she went over the falls and the rapids below, but
we managed to keep her right side up, and fortu-
nately for us we soon found ourselves landed on
the opposite shore.
One Of our horses was then led into the stream,
headed towards the opposite shore, and started