Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-06-12
From the Sixth Regiment.
MAY 26th. 1863

a Ia LoLUnuOfu-AllOW me once more
A through your columns to inform your
= readers of the good health aud fine spir-
its of the 9Th Vermont, of which have
the honor Of being a member. thought
! Of writing you soon after the battles Of
! Fredericksburg, and try in my feeble way
TO explain them TO you, but on second
, thought knew that a pen like mine was
not competent to the task, at least guided
f by my head and hand. Hence my de-
cision TO leave it to some one better YER
sed in the business. However, | saw a
few remarks of mine in your paper cop
led from letter that wrote father, not
intended for publication.
notice in almost every Vermont pa
per that the people there were very much
disappointed on hearing that Hooker was
defeated-all natural. 1t may seem
strange to you, but the army is in just as
good spirits to-day as when we crossed
the river. We do not feel as though we
had been whipped. To be sure we took
ground we could not hold, but at every
point where we engaged the rebels we
whipped them, and handsomely too -
They cannot stand bayonet charge /
defy any regiment in the boosted confed-
eracy to stand the determined charge of
a Yankee regiment.
Some complain that this war is pro-
crossing very slowly, and while they are
carrying on their chickering's at home the
rebels are making the same complaints.
This, according to their own statements,
is the wors. kind of warfare for them
They are all the time growing weaker,
as any army necessarily will do, unless
it is constantly recruited And it is a
well authenticated fact that they are
about done recruiting; hence their eager
desire to do something at once. The
longer we keep them waiting the weaker
will be their army; and we are all aware
Of the fact that we have the means and l
the men to carry on this war to almost
any extent. In the arguments in favor
of the National Unity copied from the
Richmond Enquirer, the writer says,
" Last year there was urgent haste to
have the rebellion put down in thirty
days, or ninety. Now We hear much less
Of that vehement urgency, and the whole
Yankee nation seems to have laid out its
accounts for the war as the settled bust
ness of life" lie further says that " by
his delay it is the south that is suffering,
and not the north"
If any family at the north could live
here and undergo the misery and sus- l
1ense that all families necessarily have {
o, they would be satisfied and content t
with their situation and furnish both men s
md material for the war, and remain l
afe in their security. We have one a
.reat consolation to comfort US, and that /
5 that there are no armies piIlaging and r
our homes, if We are engaged Il
n the sometimes terrific struggle for our {
ational rights. Our mothers and sisters.
I'd sweethearts-if we are so highly "a i
ored as to have them-are comparative I
2 safe at home. No cavalry raids are b
taking them from their midnight slum-
ers they are not subject to the insults
nd abuse Of confederate soldiers. Some l
'ould naturally infer that the inhabitants, 4
ven women were insulted by our SOL n
iers, but as a genera! thing say no to a
ny such queries, but there is no army as ii
'rge as ours or the confederate, bat that o.
lere are some men who have Just prin- !
pie enough to insult and abuse innocent
omen. For this reason and many 9TH 9
rs we should be thankful that we are ri
ghting at the south, and not at the north. tn
his is large machine to run, and must III
4 the principle that large wheels move OF
ow, progress not very rapidly. But | Sc
'nsider it a mere question of time about W
e putting down of this rebellion. We to
e too long winded for them, and they re
i'll find it out so. tn
remember the day that 1 placed my ar
lme beside others to defend the Consti- w
ton and Union as the proudest of my sit
e, and did | know that it would cost me IN
life l would not, were it in my pow tn
, recall my enlistment. All l ask is 90
od health and ! am all right till my su
rec years is out, and then if it is neces- na
ry | will enlist for three years more, de
t think ere the term of our enlistment WI
S expired that the looks of this thing
II be very materially changed, and for
better too. So let every lover of lib RET
y flock to her acknowledged Standard
d protect her rights and principles, and lig
Gods own good time all will be well Nc
til US as a people. an
We are having most splendid weather I'll
W alfhpuub - :, 49,. -. -. II