Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-01-09

CAHF MAR FuEFAN &. H.. va
December 24. 1852


Deer Free Pres.
We have been having rather
stirring times during the past tweuty-f.ur hours
Saturday afternoon the sound Of artillery t. .le
south. Put our commanders upon the alert AMI
we had orders to put days ration- in our hlv-
crs4ck~ and be prepared TO march at q moments
notice. W marching orders came, however. and
We spent quiet night. During The iayou sun
dly. rinors of a sharp engagement 40 Dum-r-s,
- mile south Of us. in which cur i,rye- were
wor-teI. Of Their retreat and the hulryin- f.r-
ward Of troops TO reinforce and r,e9ver the l0-t
ground, reached he, and prepared Us f'ra start.
Just az ui-ht-fiI came a renewal Of the orl-r q
the night before. followed quickly ~ the COM
uaud Too fdl 3D. Col Blunt was absent at Al-.-
aailil IN Attendance on a court martial ut
an agreeable circumstance either tor himself or
for the Twelfth. but h, place wa- aii.i-utly sup
plici by Lieut.. C.l Fsruham. rs whom we were
quickly formed IN line. and marched hastily
mile 90 Fairfax Cour, HOUSE. Two other r.-.-
rnert-. the 18th and llJh AMI the 2ni Cumc,-
t.eu. battery. attachcl TO our Brigade novel
with us. in the bright moonlight. aal ST. Z 'he
turnpike with a long dense column OF arncl AMI
eager ucu. We were Luricl straight thE ugh
the village. and IT was dot an we laltel behind
long lr,a-.aorl.. ce-maniine q fine sweep of
uearly Level plain to tie F. t, that SIC Ind ,ime
T. ask our-elye- and our uei-hh1i-. what iJ all
meant. The word wa- soon passed. reuui th.t
f.rridsble rebel s-sii was IN prorre-s uo-r u-.
-,hat large rebel cavalry force was aPqIol-'.-
ing. Burke. Station. four ar i've mile below Us
on the railroad that an attack ou Fairfax
Court House was anticipated. and that the Yer
mont Brigade must hold the position fig to-aiglt
at all hazards. Three Regiments and three guns
of the Battery were TO defcai the village the
18th wa, NJ CcnreyiIle ou picket and the luih,
with three guns. wa- sent TO Fairfax Station.
At cur post. the Twelfth held the centre Of the
IreastWork. extending Ca both SIDES Of the Alex
audria turnpike. (alone which the enemy was cx-
rac.ed TO adysnce)aul crossing 1T alright angles.
Two ccmpanic, Of tie Thirteenth AMI a portion
Of the Fourteenth. were on our right the re-
mainder Of the Thirteenth was disposed on our
LEFT. and the balance Of the Fourteenth was
placed short distance in our rear, as d support.
The battery. fine brass howitzar and two rihei
pieces. was placcl on the turnpike. Companies
b and & Of the Twelfth. under command Of
Captain Paul. were sent forward half mile on
the road. a, skirmi>hers. and a cavalry picket Of
1--WE or six Of the Ist Va. Union cavalry. was
placed s.ill further out
50 arranged, we waitel hour after hour, Of a
bright and comparatively mild moonlight night
We like,l well cur position, and longed only for
a chance to give the rebels james Island over
again. with the Odds in our favor. Occasionally
an orderly rode down the rad TO the out-posts,
10 dashel up TO Gen. Stoughton with fresh dis
patches Of the rebel advance, bat nothing spec
isIlv exciting took place til about eleven. when
suddenly the situation became interesting. First
came a courier with a message for Gen. Slough
ton. whose reply. distinctly audible to cur por-
ion Of the line. was. ''ten hin my communica-
ton with Gen. Abercrombie Is cut of, but can
hold my own here, and viii do it. Then came
crlere to load. and instructions for the front
rank.-(you humble servant was fortunate
enough to be in the front, ito do all the firing
if occasion for firing should arise, and the rear
rank do all the loading, passing forward the
loaded pieces to their file leaders. Then came
dash Of horsemen down the road, riding helter-
skelter, and the ''deyil take the hindmost We
did not know then what ii meant exactly, but
found out afterwards that ii was the cavalry
picket. driven in and frightened half to death by
the rebels The stir among our officers, which
followed their arrival, told Us, however, that it
meant something. Col. Farnham, cool as a Gu
cumber, rode along the line, giving the men
their orders and instructions. Major Kingsly in
calm aud clear voice added some words Of eau
ton. and injunctions to fire low. and General