Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-01-06
Correspondence.


From the 18th Vermont Regiment.
OS PIcKEr, CNTRfYlLE, Va, Dec 3d.
MIR Enron You will learn by this that
tue 18Th are here FIVE miles from our camp at
Fairfax in order to release the l2th, who have
been doing picket duty for four days Your
humble servant is writing this seated on a
board, by the side Of Fireplace IN a rebel
shunty, erected by them last winter when they
were here in force The hat is built Of logt
tapped On each end and the creyices filed with
mud and slabs, and thereof shinged with long,
rough shingles split from timber near by.
have been talking with cavalry picket Who
says he saw some rebel scouts about five miles
from here in the direction Of the Bloc Ridge.
We are to stay hele for four days and may have
a brush before we return to camp.
You, no doubt heard Of our long and tedious
marches TO and from our camp near Alexandra.
1t is not likely that eshall ever return to that
camp again We marched twenty miles to our
present camp, and had the Green Mountain
Boys seen us as We trampei to the sound Of the
merry, merry fife and drum, they sursIy would
have " pilied the sorrows Of the p1.r volunteer
whose to,terins legs had borne him thus far,
and wondered as We did how much farther we
bad to totter. But such s q soldiers lite. aud
Als habits are IA mlsratory, like Tie birds of the
air and the beasts Of the field
We have had some very co.d weather for the
sunny South, and Vermont herself would
not be willing 10 own much colder, although
snow is scarce.
Iregret TO say We have had one case Of small
Iox in the Regiment, but nothing as yet serlou,
las sprung from it, In Co. II, VIM Mowhrey
is quite sick. Chas. Il1ughton ana Wm En-
er5on are on the lick lis! Captain White, Of
Co. is dead. Our Orderly, Charles White,
ha. been quite SICK. believe his complaint
was chronic -ArFhea. Oar o.I Qayiermlster,
Aldrich, has been replaced by oue from Go. il,
Ny the name Of Taylor Our Caplaiu Is gain
with Us, aud enjoying god health and spirits.
The 18th are eucAmpcI ah1u three.lourths Of a
mil, from US on d road leading 70 Fairfax
Station, in their hu.s, which believe are stocka.
ded, We hear that fredericksburg has fallen,
like another nabyl1u,-hut as rumors always
exist in camp, we are ata loss 10 believe any
thing except wat we read, and then can scarce.
ly believe our own eyes io. fear they will de.
ceiye as Some one has Just come frem house
near by, with what be calls pic, but alas on
beng dssecied the inside is not yi.lbe-eppies
we're paid for, but two crusts are all that can
dol, and the, can scarcely keep together, per
haps, owing to the scarcity OF flour, We hear
cannon at intervals, and can only say that We
are under the impression that Fredericksburg
"a not taken The boys are now making coffee
IN their Ii lie cups cracking hard tack between
their tect toastinE pork On the point Of a stick,
aud enjoy ng themselves in The usual manner oI
poor volunteer
Dec 2lth G1ll Run, Midnight Ny past
here is called Mcl.syaus Ford, and cavalry
scouts and patrols are passing every iva hours
| hear the sentry cry, Sergeant OF the guard
and my duty calls me away to the next post,
return. Nothing serious has occurred only the
duh moan Of possum has startled the over.
watchiul sentry
News has just come that one Of our first Yir.
siuia cavalry has been found lying dead on hi.
face, near house, occupied by three women
and two mon The women are adorned witt
pistols, the boys say. However twa SCOUT
went out, to reconnoirs, and neither .eturned
one being found as above mentioned, and III,
other probably taken prisoner. It is proposed
to 20 AMI fire the house, in retaliation. VIVA
will be done remains to be seen, bat II the boy
of the 18th could have their way, this morning
the house would come down. P. S, The hous
was burnt.
The reserve are quartered in Il good hous
for the present the family having vacated it
some two months ago, as we learn from the mex
= nelghbor, Where they are The authorities a
Washington know, but we do not
f Lieut. Perkins and private Inrkins have jus
returned from taking breakfast at the neigh
bors, who claim to boUnion. They report buck
wheat cakes, meat, coffee and fse timo gene
e rally. Wishing you and your readers the usua
t compliments of the season, remain,
= Yours, Sergt II, G. Co, u.