Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-05-29
(our Army Correspondence.)
FROM THE 18TH REGIMENT.
Ux1ox Minis, Va, May IL, 1868.

warm rains have brought forVard INC season IN
this region with wonderful rapidly. The fields
are now covered with groensward; the forest
leaves have fairly jumped ont Of the branches
that remained brown and bare till We began 10
doubt the existence Of the slumbering life with
in; the patches Of hardwood ieck with paler
green the dark pine forests on the hillslopes
the oak groves are delightful for shade and shell
ter; the white blossoms OF the dogwood adorn
in profusion the underground, and the song-birds
are numerous in kind and quantity, meadow and
woodland are passing pleasant to every sense.
save that Of taste and that may be included, If ,
one chooses to pull up 4 root Of sasssfras which .
is | believe the only edible at present, abundant
in the woods. The charms Of opening summer, I
heretofore alluded to, if am not mistaken, by !
several writer's both in prose aud poetry. are ap
precsted by none more than by the soldiers !
The springtime gives carpet and canopy and :
hangngs of green to their "truly rural'' dwell !
ings, and just now, before the sun becomes
scorchins and dust and drou,h follow as neces-
sary consequences, their life in the open air. has
many an agreeable feature.
The Twelfth has been enjoying to the full It's
recent sojourn in the splendid region to the
front, and has been greatly benefited, az to
health by the change. The number Of re"
cases Of sickness has been reduced TO a nominal
figure, and the convalesc-nts, who have returned
from tho hospitals in Alexandra have rapidly
regained full strength.
The 18th Reg't Is having sickly time now,
the same malsrious fever which weakened
the 18th So At the Shoals Is prevailing extensive
( " in the ranks and has proved fatal in four or
FIVE cases within a dsy or two. But the health
J ofthe troops here aud hersabouts rs 8 whole i
sne
The Twelfth when first sent to the Rappshan
mock was encamrel within dozen rolls Of the
river. hut vas afterwards drawn back for nile
Continuing however, It's guard at the bridge and
ri,ke,s on the river where, on splendid stretch
Of meadow land, in the elge Of an oak grove, it
made delightful camp y huet location could
hare boon asked fr, and the 10y would hay been
Well content 20 remain. But the situation was q
pretty ezr..s-i ono. It va, as far to the front.
y.u see. as Gen Hocker's army, and tho two
rscments-the 18th lying about three miles this
side Of it.--werc some twenty miles from supports
7 Rebel scouting rarties were seen daily, and a
inc ofr,lel piekets was established on the other
side Of the river opposite the camps. before the
regimen, l-i, Iftlo enemy hal made O serious At
tempt t5 1ea---.ss .r destroy the Railroad, or q
overwlem them by flank attack from The
mouut-in rass.z, through which Jackson came
down on Pope, the 18th mi l-tr would have
had to tight it ou, a,,uc
Tbs rebels were Mt rec ly .-- -l.l rlove, b Re
ever, and that parti;u'a, danger has passed.
I've W three days since, strong force %, Ca
y4, 3 came up from Stelenan's Cor7s, to guard
G that end Of the road ami yesterday the Iuf-ntr!
! regiments were withdraw
2 The Fifteenth, came bs.s .. Union Mills, and
: resumes its old duty Of pieaetins along the o.
b, c,suaa and Bull Run. The Tv.lfth remains ou
d a few miles, the right v.us, which includes Co
d C.. being stationed az Br-row,. and tine LEI
e wing. in two de,aciments. s, Cs,le;ts Station
j and Manassas Junction
= should Ike 70 describe more fully tlsn
a have done, the region between Us and the Zap
? pahaunock. It's beauty IN this first flush o
Spring, i,s apparent adyaataSe-sfor Agriculture
its melancholy deso,a;ioa. deserted mansions
farms without a lab1rcr or sign Of present cult
vation. and solitary chimney stscks. standing
the only vestises Of farm houses by the hundre,
swept away by the s,ourse Of war. and the sui
- ferings Of its few remaining inhabitants VIII
u have reached point where the owners Of plan
tatious Of two or three thousand acres. were ga.
Il 70 beg from cur troops the common neceesarie
p oflfe, bu, have not time or splce today.
10 Gen. Stannard retains his headquarters a
u Union Mills, and devote. himself earnestly an,
l. effectively 30 the care o. the Brigade. I, is n
b Light care either. Tie Vermont Second Brgai
,. has been extended over fifty miles Of territory
lie three Of the regiments maintaining picket lin
&c for which the whole Brigade used 70 be barll
d a sufficient guard, and two gunrlmg line Q
d thirty miles Of Railroad. for the protection {
O., WHICH, Netf ago. n llrce OF ttEtteH tQ0hfdH
men was not considered too large. although the
there wa no rebel army this side Of Richmond
Ifany one supposes that under such circum
stances there is no hard work for the men. or Ia
Dor md care for their regimental officers an
general commanding, he has only to come gu
,, here 70 learn his mistake. But IS yet we see n
Il fighting VIC heard the roar Of the recent battle
= in hich our brothers were winning good report
d.. though not victory, and WISHED We were by thei
=. sides. There is time yet to try cur nine month
mon under FIRE; but the impression is pretty gen
eral that We are not likely to be 80 tried.
Hooker is further reinforced from this corps
however. we shall probably be sent to him, an
:. it is not impossible that we may have all we wan
.. Of hard fighting here but this much is certai
thu; what there may be Of it all must come with
=, in sir rsets or not at all for US, in this term
!, service.