Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-06-26
A Visit to our Soldiers.

VI uIOlJClo itopNStihS 'hN'A SS''" -
army, and having visited Fort Slocum,
thought that it would not be out OF plac
to address a few lines to them throug
the columns of your paper. You we
know the cause of our sudden exit fror
this to the land of Dixie. Wednesda
night, the Sd inst, we received a tele
graphic dispatch which read like this
Egbert can't live; come quickP Con
sequently Thursday morning we were Oh
the road, and Friday morning at tel
clock we arrived at the city of Wash
ington, which is four miles from For
Slocum; then by the politeness of MIR
Keller, who met US at the city-to whom
we shall ever be grateful for kindness
shown our son-we were conducted &c
camp, where we found our son much bet
ter than we had expected, and thankful
were we to Him from whom all bless
ings how." Mothers, you can imagine
the feelings of our hearts at the reception
of such news, but Imagination is not a
reality; but we knew in whom we be-
lieyed. and to him we offered sincere
prayer that our minds might be calmly
STAYED on God, and from the depths of
our hearts say "not our will but thine be
DONE" but if consistent with thy holy
will. spare his life until we get there, that
we may see and speak with him once
more, and that he may know his parents
are near him in his last hours. God
heard and answered the PRAYER. We felt
to put our trust in him, and knew that all
would be according to his will but in
,pte of this, and the scenes through
which we passed, which were well calcu-
ated to attract attention, ere we were
ware, the rebellious tears were cours;ng
own our cheeks, but we would wipe
hem away and say in our hearts:
"Away our unoelevng fears,
Fear shall no more in me take place"
5ut our fears were banished and our Joy
omplete when we found him so much
etter than we expected. They told US
9 had been rapidly improving for two
r three days, and then we found so many
{ our Irasburgh boys, whom we were
right glad TO see" We saw so many
amiliar faces, and the kind reception we
eceived almost made us think we were
t home. The good Capt. j. Rice and
lis lady were very kind to us. Much
raise is due DR.. Kidder for his kind at
ention too, and for the good management
f the patients in the hospital, and also
o the nurses who took care Of them
father Hoden-the boys may well call
lin so-knows his duty and fails not to
10 it. When looked around the hospi. !
al | could but admire the good taste and
arrangement of everything. Thing IS
we're better arranged and more comfort
bile than we expected, but when l looked
Ipon the sick ones thought they too had
mothers and anxious friends at home, and
his thought came into my mind whenev-
r met a soldier, " He has mother -
But our journey is not at an end. We
must go and see the cavalry boys, for we
ave a son there who was very unwelI
he last we heard from him, as well as
numerous acquaintance. But how are
We TO get there? Get a pass! Capt.
Rice kindly assisted US what he could,
nd we got our pass. Then forward,
larch p and soon after we got to the
'harf we were crossing the Potomac, OF
1hich we had read so much. When we
rived at Alexandria, we must get an,
tier pass to 60 to Fairfax Court House,
'here the second brigade was encamped
We got our pass "all aboard, all right"
nd soon we were vending our way tbro'
Id Virginia, our mother state, where
isolation now reigns. We could not
clip thinking that though the mother o.
1any children, they had all forsaken her.
We were now in an enemy's country,
nd as we rode along this thought occur
ed to our minds: " Though pass thro'
ne valley of the shadow of death, will
ar no evil, for thou God art with me-"
When we arrived at camp we found every
valuable man had gone out in front, and
aft those who were not able for active
uties in charge of camp. OF course
lany of our acquaintance whom we had
oped to see, were gone. We found our
IN looking worse than we expected
owever he Was on light duty. | am
linking it Uncle Sam was in the habit
doing his duty he would give him
ischarge. We found the boys in better
oirits than health. They were both
leerful and hopeful, and not easily
'ightened. We saw Sergeant Perry,
no was left in command of Co. |, A.
lean, L. Skinner, w. Currier and L.
'oney, and fright glad" to see them we
ere. But the time came when we had
leave; the last word was spoken, and
e returned to Fort Slocum TO spend a