Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-02-27
Our armu Correspondence.
FROM THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

FROM THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. |
BELL PLAIN, Va. Feb. II. S63 4
Mr. Edtor, Thinking that word from |
this locality might be Of interest to your read /
ers, will endeavor to give you occasional
iottings of events among US Bell Plain is
at the mouth Of Potomac Creek on the Poto-
mac River, about five miles south Of Aqua
Creek and half way between King George
Court House and Fredericksburg. The Creek
is small sluggish stream, with a channel six
feet deep, up which small steamers and canal
boats can run two or two-and-a-haf miles,
and already Yankee ingenuity lie making good
use Of it, boating up supplies, and thus saw
ing the mule teams the labor of pulling
through the mud two OF three miles. There
are three landings here. The upper one is
used for the receipt Of forage. the middle one
for Commssary stores, and the lower one for
shipping and dischargng troops, ordnance.
quartermaster stores, &c. This landing is
also known as Platt's Point, where ATE two
rebel forts marking the place whore last vim
ter was carried on large business in snug
Cling between them and their sympathizers
from Maryland Point. opposite.
| am told there was formerly large first
class hotel here, having all the appurteuanoes
of a fashionable summer resort. and was pat
ronized extensively, by the sporting gentry
from Fredericksburg. Falmouth. and the
larger places in the vicinity, in the way Of
fishing and ducking, excursions, &c.
The /" Engineer train whose connection
with this army seems so fatal, has station
here, where they receive their pontoon boats
from, and ship them to. Washington. Histo-
ry has already recorded their tardy move
ments from this place The order, to prevent
the possibility Of a failure at the last move,
was to start at five clock Tuesday morning,
and to have the bridges all laid by day light
on Wednesday morning. Instead Of obeying
this order promptly, many did not start till
long in the day Tuesday. some in the night
and the last Wednesday morning, after the
storm had commenced, and before night some
OF the teamsters came back, drunk, upon
their horses saying they we're "s;uck in the
the mud" No explanation has been publish
ed yet why the beautiful weather of Tuesday
and the smooth hard road. which was equal
to plank, was not improved. We hope the
Committee will investigst the subject, and
give the people the reasons of this delay, If
there are good III not, hang or shoot,
The gully ones.
This is the principal supply station of'for-
age for the Army of the Potomac the
amount reaching some days to over a million
pounds, requiring the labor Of two hundred
black men constantly, in unloading boats, and
large clerical force--trom rs to 80 men
to receive and issue this enormous quantity
of hay and grain. The extensive business
Of this depot is all under the charge of
Capt. Pitkin Of Vermont, and | understand
/ from officers in the service, that she has rea-
son to congratulate herself on furnishing an
homes man for one of the best Assistant Quar-
termasters in the Army. His economical
manner Of administering the affairs of his de-
partment might proftably be initiated by 9TH
err Quartermasters. No expensive outlay is
made for wharves and storehouses, and nice
houses for himself and he Up to live in but
cheap temporary wharves are built, answering
every purpose, and platforms on which to
pack and save the grain, using canvass for a
covering, while he and his men, like true pat
riots, dwell in tents.
A few days since foraging party was sent
out from the lefs Grand Division to the vicin-
| ity of the Rappahannock They we're gone
about three days, when they returned with
quite an amount Of property, few prisoners,
aud about one hundred liberated blacks who
/ wished to come with them. The members OF
! tho p@sty Ill r&tur-~d ~ tho highest sri-ifs
This is the first expedition of the kind for q
long while, and it illustrates upon small
scale what our soldiers would accomplish i
given the opportunity. No doubt that there
are men enough in this army who woulC
/ cheernlly take the chances of raids, if per
mitted, who would show themselves evei
: more bold in planning, and daring in execu
ton, than the rebel Stuart. Such expeditions
/ besides damaging the enemy, are decided
E advantage to the soldiers, giving them chang
from the monotony OF camp-life, change o
4 food, scenery, &c; and if signs mistake not
General Hooker will have more of the sam
sort of work for them to do than they hay
e been accustomed to. . So mote it be-
3 OF the Vermont Brigade next time.
= Yours for the Union,