The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-01-20

who would shrink from having their names made
public, constantly employ themselves in minister
ing to the sick and wounded soldiers, giving free
" of their own resources whatever can conduce to
the comfort of the sufferers, without expecting a
cent in return. They deserve the eternal graft.
tude of the soldiers who are the recipients OF
their kindnesses, and doubtless they will get it.
Scarcely day passed that some one of these la
dies, on their errands Of mercy, did not come in.
to the ward with something to give the men.
Perhaps it might be nothing more than an apple
apiece, or peach, or perhaps it might be some
avorite book that some one had expressed wish
to read. Very often they brought in tracts to
distribute among the men, and l never knew a
case where one refused to read them. Some
times they gave stationery to those destitute of
funds to enable them to write Of their whereabouts
and condition to their friends. Let it not be said
that the North are ungrateu to their soldiers,
and hope the soldiers will dot prove insensible
Of gra;il ude in return.
1t was my good fortune to receive an invita- ton
from one of these sisters of charlty--for such in
deed they all were, though they belonged to no
order,-to visit her residence in the city, which
gladly accepted. Her husband was bsoksel-
err and newspaper dealer, and he willingly fur
nished bis numerous sol der visitors with all the
reading they desired. Books, historical and fct-
tious and periodicals of every description lay
upon Lis counter, which without money or price,
were freely proftered US TO read. Often has this
lady accidentally heard of some particular want
of some sick soldier in q hospital, and with as
much promptnsss as if he was her own son, she
procures the desired article, whatever it may be,
and hastens to the sufferers relief On one &C.
casion she took soldier who was scarcely this
side of eternity to her house, nursed ard tsok
care of him till he was well and able to return to
his regiment. Now he is deins duty in the field,
when, but fer her Kindness it is more than prob.
able that be would have been forever lost to Uncle
Sam and all the rest of the world. A day spent
with these folks considered as second only to
visit at home.
But at last the time came fer US to leave the
hospital. The order was sent in for every well
man to be sent to his regiment, and those still
were to be sent to this camp.
supposed that was going straight to nay regi-
ment, but instead of that found that was book
ed for this camp, so Justly famed for misery and
Although had been expecting
for several weeks to leave the hospital | confess
when the time came my patriotism was hardly
sufficient to overcome all reluctance to leave.
My health was still somewhat delicate and |
must leave my comfortable bed to exchange it
for rubber blanket and the damp ground. Nv
warm, comfortable tent | must exchange Tor the
F." shelters of the field. Nv books
and papers, which had been my amusement for
manya day must be given up for the musket,
and in place OF reading by warm stove, should
have drilling, marching and picketng, with hard
tack and salt horse for my daily grub. Soldiers
are sometimes accused of trying to "play off,
from duty, and appeal to you il the temptation
is not strong at time like this
On this occasion q guard was stationed around
he camp to prevent any from skulking away, who
we're so disposed, but, think this precaution was
The night previous to going away
lrizzly northwest storm set in--a kind of wealth
sr which is the most disagreeab'e O sodiers-and,
coming as it did at this particular time, it seemed
o render our departure superlatively unpleasant
But the boys were bound to be merry in spite of
he gloomy prospects before them. They laughed
told stories. sumo SONGS and did ther hAst 70