Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1863-03-05

itude commenced, and continued, with
unabated fury, until about o'clock P. M.
The wind howled through the valleys and
woods in ftful gusts, piling the snow in
irregular masses. AT midday the whole
army was startled at the sound of cannon
firing toward the extreme left of our line
The sound, at any time fearful in its i'm
port, was doubly 50 to day, as it came
waited to us upon the gale. The more
excitable professed to believe the rebels
were attempting to cross the Rappahannock
and under cover of the storm make an at
tack upon this army. All who were not
cognizant of the real cause of the firing
anxiously listened for the bursting of
shells and responsive shots from the ene-
my-for the direction of the sound clearly
indicated that our own guns were in op-
eration--but all in vain. The suspense
was not broken until other pieces of artil-
lery in different parts of the cantonment
opened their deep-toned notes, and care
full observer had counted thirty-four ex-
plosions Gan ominous number) from one
battery, when it was announced that ma
tional salute had been fired in honor of
the birthday of Washington. Thus the
mystery was satisfactorily explained, and
the most excited were subjects of railery
for the balance of the day. The BOOM
ing of cannon along our whole line, heard
amidst the howlings of the storm, had
something fearfully grand in it. produc-
ing an effect that cannot easily be erased
from the memory.
The rebels across the river were aroused,
and they, too, it is said INDUCED in Con-
federate salute-strange inconsistency
of thirteen guns in memory of the man
whose life-object they are endeavoring SO
persistently to nullify. Why should an
enemy of the Union rejoice on such an oc-
casion? Sooner, far, would they be ex-
pected to reject all knowledge of the day
if they are true to themselves in their
present attitude of hostility to the Union.
But it is possible that the memory of old
associations-a lingering love for that
which they dare not now acknowledge,
prompts the act of homage. Let us hope
that this is true, and that through this
channel the old love of Republican insti
tutions may be revived, and cause them
to pause in their mad career ere it be toe
: late.
1t is qualification to know that to-day
the soldiers engaged in maintaining the
cause of the Union, now have within theil
lines not only Mount Vernon and tht
Washington farm, but also the birthplace
of WAsHINGToN-on the banks of the Po
tomac, in Westmoreland County-spots
sacred to every true lover of his country
and which never should be. contaminated
= by the presence of an enemy to the caus'
in which WASHINGTON devoted the bes
energies of his life. But for the storm
there would doubtless have been othel
demonstrations in observance of the day
in this camp.
Yesterday the Army of the Potoma
. was immersed in mud. To-day it is bur
led in snow; perhaps by Tomorrow i
will be wallowing in mixture of tn
two materials sandwiched IN water Th
; soldiers, with commendable foresight, ar
not wholly unprepared for this kind o
weather, and their situation, therefore, i
:, , comparatively-only comparatively, how
y ever-comfortable.
Tonight all is quiet along the lines
i. and the Army of the Potomac is bidin
its time. P