Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-06-02


aration nor curious anxiety in regard to some
important move, that may be at any moment ex-
pected, nobody knowing when it will take place
or what it will be. Everything is as quiet and
comes along in an every day sort Of way, as
much as if We had always stayed here and al
ways expected to. No eight.day ration orders
are issued periodically for constant observance,
no talk in military circles, or in circles not So
military, OF an approaching summer campaign,
and we are not compelled to be eternally ready
as we were for month or 80 previous to
our last adventure in Dxies Land. There
seems to be taet understanding that for the
present our work is done, and now it only re-
mains for us to rest idly on our oars content with
the work already accomplished and unconcerned
for tho future.
Camps are fast assuming o slick, summer
like appearance. Policing alias sweeping, is
the rage of the hour. As far as pine boughs,
made into brooms, can make camp look clean,
they are 80 and nothing offensive shall be al
lowed to lie loose anywhere about the camps to
breed disease and make the air unhealthy. Yam
kee ingenuity Is taxed to its utmost in deyisng
means to counterfeit the suns burning rays,and
make our tents as cool and as comfortable as
possible. Natural shade is taken advantage of
when convenient, and when not convenient ar
tifcial shade is made in its place. The 4th and
9Th regiments are very neatly situated. The
ground Is gentle swell covered with low bushy
pine trees which have all been trimmed up to a
certain hight, and where not thick enough
others were planted leaving the tops to form a
complete canopy Of boughs overhead, and max
ing the grounds have the appearance of some
cool subterranean abode, well lighted and airy.
The streets are clearly swept and everything
looks neat and tidy. The 9th seems TO have
been less fortunate in the selection ola location,
not so much Tor want of taste as on account Of
the unheathlness of the place. 1t is said near
! ly half Of the men were sick or Nv enervated as
to be unfit for hard duty The surgeon attTibu.
Jeu Iuc Cuuse, uuueIHeahui W lhv natvl untu'
and very likely he was right. They are doing
better now. The 81 is situated apart from the
rest, as usual-in consequences Of our singular
character, lsuppose,-on an elevated piece OF
ground il the edge Of the woods, where the cool
broezes, when there are aoy, can fan away the
heat, and where the shade OF the tall pines can
mitigate in measure the burning of vir
GINA sun.
The art Of building up comfortable quarters,
like every other art, improves greatly by prac.
tice. Certainly We have never fixed up OUT
" shanties " in way more pleasant and com
Portable than we have them now. Our shelter
tents we fasten to poles and stakes several feet
from the ground on all sides. We build our
I" hunks to the same height under them
Here we have place to sleep clean from the
ground, and where the air can circulate freely
under and all around US. We have a roof Ia
cover US, and, if we wish, we can close up the
ends Of the tent and curtain the space from the
caves to the ground Plenty of old material
for doing this can be picked up in the camps OIL
those regiments that are going home, and the
boys are not slow in finding it, Thus it can b.
seen we have all the advantages of good wal
tent, minus great many Of its disadvantages
The brigade is in the neighborhood Of foul
miles from Falmouth and. about two from Poto
mac Creek. Here we live, move and have oui
rations every day. So far we have had but lit
tie duty to do in this camp, except such iregu
lar duties as could be handily devised to keep u,
out Of mischief We have had our guard anC
picket duties, as usual, of course. Drilling ha,
not yet been inaugurated, but it soon is to be
We are not long to be SO generously let alone
Last night an order was read on dress parad,
for morning and evening drills each an hour
|, just enough for healthy exercise and good dis
cipline. We shall have them every day excep
: Saturdays and Sundays.
Last Wednesday we were reviewed by Gene
raj Sedgwick. The day before, Col. Grant haC
reviewed us to make sure that we were capabl,
Of making respectable appearance before oul
corps commander, for Col, Grant is as proud 0
his men as his men are proud Of him. He wei
knows that his Vermonters can out-review any
other troops on the ground.
Last Monday we had a large fatigue party
detailed to clear of place for Gen. Hooker
headquarters. There was nothing connected
with this days work that is materially wortl
writing about, but mention it as specimen
Of the vigorous way we have of prosecuting sucl
kind of business. 1t almost always brings
scowl to soldiers face to be called upon Tor thi
kind of duty but wry faces never amount t
anything only to relieve the patient OF it'll
surplus Immature, when no is as cheerful a
y ever. The day in question We knew was goinJ
to be hot and sultry, and as We were required t
take our dinners along with US, it was eyiden
: that we we're booked Tor a long days siege. Thi
: was sufficient to warrant little extra hiarit
and joking, to say nothing OF bit of sweurn
mixed in occasionally just to spice the proceed
4, ings for suppose it is revealing no secret t
say that now and then soldier will swear, an
ifhe swears at all he will do 1t just before gon
on" fatigue" We did big days work tina
, day,-at least the General in charge said we di
and suppose he knew best If any Of on
. Woodworking men up in busy Vermont fail t
. see the point, it is their fault and not mice