The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-12
ARMY CORRESPONDENT E
FROM THE THIRTEENTH VERMONT.
CAMP NEAR WOLF Run SHOALS, Va,
Feb. 9th, 1868.

DALI Journal reaches US with great regularity
They are looked for each evening with muc
anxiety, and when, through lrregularity of tn
mails, we do not receive them, great disappoint
ment is felt. The public news, of course We hav
10 advance Of them, but local news of transaction
N and near our own homes, We rely upon gettin
through them
You get, see, by your army correspondent:
sill that relates to our brigade. Your reader
nave learnt that the l2h AM 18Th regiments ar
in advance some six miles, bsiug posted on tn
Occaquan river, guarding some five miles on tia
stream and on Bull Run. 1t makes our picke
duty very severe. Bat we came here to work, t.
DO what is necessary to be doae, and Vernon
men are not the first to complain. while the hard
ships imposed are necessary. Indeed the mel
and The long nights, through storms and cold
with SO little compliant that it surprises me.
The 18th, 10Th, and l6.h regiments are a
Fairfax Station, some six miles 10 our rear. ant
although they are exempt from the picket dut,
on the frontier, to which the l2;h and 18Th art
subjected, they have other duties TO perform
which no doub! they regrad as equally hard, in
building corduroy roads to enable US to get our
supplies from the station, guard duty at the sta.
ton, and the various other duties that arise. In
deed have yet failed to see the time.or place in
The army, where Vermont troops were not put
upon important and responsible duty And, as |
often say to the boys-;f they complain that they
are sent to the front, while other troops re.
main in the rear, II It Is hard, it is honorable .
But while we are patiently enduring the hard
ships OF the camp, We often see degree ofinp4.
thence exhibited By those at home, that pains us.
1t is true that this war is unfortunate, that MANY
valuable lyo are being lost, that it is costing the
country great dea 10 carry it co. bu; what is 10
be doae The war, certainly whatever may have
been Iho cause oft, has been Immediately brought
on BY the overt reasonable acts of the rebelious
States, by the reputation Of the authority of the
General Government. There were but two things
40 be done, of course, under this state of the
thing. One was 70 allow the beIligerent States
TO go quietly, without war. The other was to re-
sist their going to the expense Of war. The Ad-
minis, alton decided to resist, to maintain the ST.
qren,acy OF the United States Government, and
call tic military force of the country to it's sun.
port. The country unanimously sustained that
decision. 1t is true, there may have been those,
year and half ago, who secretly 10 their hearts
held different views but if so, the greater is their
,uiQu'ty. The Administration had right to IN
darsta9d that its decision was to be sustained by
the people. A year and half ago the first clash
.: arm was heard. Since that time, armies on
either side OF near million of men have been
raised equipped and put in the field. Battles
with various results have been !olgAt. L is true
;he rebellion has not been entirely crushed OUT
Aud because it has nota rebellion SO stupanduous
ia its proportions, The first Of growth Of tbirjy
years, wased by one half ola grea. nation against
other, persisted il with all The zea! and Bit, ruess
that naturally springs from the two great consid-
orations now moving the rebels, viz the reten-
ton CT slavery, and the retention of their necks
outside of hllter, because our arms have occa-
are inclined to give way TO the most childlike
demonstrations.
In the first place, this war has no: been con.
4inued long, or in other words, it has been prose.
eated with, at least, due expedition. If there is
any trouble, perhaps there is none more great
than that it has been too msch hurried. Public
sentiment and public camor, have no doubt not
only had tendency to force the Generals in com.
anand of the army, but the Administration, in ad.
lance OF their judgment.
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