Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-08-11
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A Soldiers Letter No. SO.
CAMP NEAR WARRESToN, Va, !
July 2S, 1868.


July 2S, 1863.
EDITOR FREEMAN For strange rarity the
Gmy Of the Po,omsc 10 not on the move to-day.
Since Saturday night we have rested here in
camp on a conspicuous elevation in the vicinity OF
EaUen,on. Our brigade Is in splendid place
~ camp, afording Tost extensive and besuli-
q yisw Of large portion Of Virginia. Away
q the east as far as the eye can reach hill succeeds
meet in the dim distance. On the west the jog.
o. and imposing range Of mountains composing
Dc Blue Ridge, are seen in all their grandeur
nnd sublime beauty, their lohies! peaks piercing
the clouds, and their green sides, so smooth and
rnbroken as they loos in the distance, seem to
speak noblsr purpose in their creation than that
they should be q mere barrier between two hos
tile enemies. /, !, just such pl,ce here as ma
ture's lover would wish to occupy that be might
see and ad mire the vast panorama she has spread
oot before HIM. 1t lisa cool and airy location,
too, where We have plenty Of the purea water
ond where we are free from the pesiilence- breed
irg filth Of low and unhealthy camps. should
have no objection to serving out the remainder Of
nv term 10 camp here but il Is not our habit
b stay long in so nice place, and now we are
,sslmost mOmentarity expecting to receive the or
der to pack up aud march a, a double quick pace,
snd must crave your indulgence accordingly.
We have been on the move every day for the
past week, except one. We have marched in all
directions, north, east, south and west, with how
b uch result may never be accurately estimated.
~ have seen no enemy, Tough, no battle, but
~ have accomplished toll enough 10 win dozen
Victories, and il ough, to have some saving effect
cn the Union Often we have been on the march
ifom four O'Clock in the morning til ten a, night
ben, after brief rest, star! on again at daylight;
Llsl Tuesday We remained in camp near Philo-
-ennonte, little village about twenty miles from
khere we crossed tn. Potomac. Here tha boys
had an opportunity to wash and mend their
eothes, clean their guns, pick berries, write let.
prs, and steal chickens. twas busy day with
tbe most Of us. il the army was still, and one day
4nras ell too short for the many things We needed
10 10 for ourselves. II was not till 10 the after
boon Of Wednesday that we resumed our march,
,and as time fingered and we delayed moving, we
began to think another day was to be given US to
f1est. Some Of the boys ventured TO pu. clothes
NJ the wash, some went berryng. even went
q far as to pull out my portfolio to write you
mother letter, but long before had completed
it, the order was given TO march. had to lay
aside pen and ink, and shoulder my musket and
Aknapsaek and trudgs on again, leaving my ideas
b get scattered beyond the hope Of recovery. !
had long story that wanted to tell the boys at
home who read the Freeman, Of our campaign in
Maryland, but /, is so long ago now that an ac-
count Of II from me would be dull affair to read
though can assure you ou, Maryland trip was
quite an interesting even, to experience. 1t was
hard marching every day, sometimes hard fight
ne, and all the time hard living. 1t is NOR,
pleasant, to be sure, to march through even SC
friendly country as Maryland, than to march
where all are enemies but all the friendlinea ia
shat State and all the kindness ola thousand ,uct
municipalities and powers, couldn't have separated
y from our hard tack aud pork, unless a regular
sstem had been arranged to provide us some
hiog better.
Perhaps all do no, know how eager the boy
y are when on long march TO get tha, to ca
(hat will bear some resemblance to favorite disl
they were fond of at home, or how difficult Il /
to crafty any such sagerne.. In some cases
y mere whim Of the soldier, sort Of natura
desire to &c, something different from what
provided, bu, In many cases Il Is essential L
,lealth, and often to life ITSELF But those tha
Decided this kind OF nursing the most were no
tlways the ones to get it. Once in while
|pcky fellow would get woman TO bake him
hayer,ack full Of biscuits, but their number va
comparatively few. They were costly luxuris
Nhen obtained. One might have 10 roam all owe
'he country TO fad them, and then perhaps ha'
% wait half Of day or more for bis turn in gel
ling them cooked, and finally pay from 20 to
cents dozen for very cheaply made biscuit
Scarcely large enough TO DO visible TO the uake