Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-05-15
Letter from the Cavalry Regt.
HEADQUARTERs LIST VT. CAVALRY,
FAIRFAX G, H., VA. MAY 7, '63.

about all the time, my thoughts natur
ally enough turn towards our distan
home and friends, that we are constant
" assured do not forget US, and if we may
take our own feelings as a criterion to g
by, we know they are over anxious fol
us and the success of our common cause
BY the soldier, nothing is looked ioI
more than tidings from home and here
let me say, that if the soldiers friends al
home could see the disappointed looks
of the boys, as they day after day watch
the distribution of the mail, and could
hear the murmured nothing for me,
they would be constrained to "wri e
often" And we do not forget that stu
ated as we are, every rumor of an en-
gagement with the enemy-any disaster
or any forward movement, that they are
anxious TO Know the fate of near and
dear friends, and we hasten to inform
them the first opportunity. We know
that those at home are not exposed TO
the same dangers that we are. And
you may ask why we are so anxious to
hear from them so often? | do not know
as can give any reason in particular
for this, but let me assure you that it is
so. But this has but little to do with
what | had thought of writing when !
began, intended merely to give you a
little sketch of things in this vicinity at
the present time, which | thought per-
haps would not be uninteresting. We
have had several very warm dry days,
and am of the opinion that mud time"
is about over. The peach trees have
been in bloom for'some time, and the ap-
pie trees are coming out now. 1ester-
day it commenced to rain, with a thunder
shower, and has rained considerably
since then. We do not like to see III
rain, for fear ii may retard the progress
Of our armies for the news is very
cheering from all sections. And it would
be doubly SO if we could believe all the
rumors that we hear, or even all that we
see in the papers. But we have learned
to look upon the papers with dis'rust.
and to believe nothing unless it be official.
| have seen statements in the papers of
things that l was knowing to, and even
engaged in, that were not correct in the
first particular. And l have seen many
letters from men in our own Regt., inI
different papers that were far from being
true. And / was disgusted with men
that could thus publicly, and in such
times, tell such falsehoods. think some
of the papers have been too willing to
publish every rumor they have heard,
regardless of the injury they were doing
to the cause Of liberty, merely for the
sake Of gain. But Copperheadism is
playing out, and that 10 one of the best
signs Of success that | have seen for a
long time. Our Regt was unfortunate
through the winter, but thar was moth
ing strange 10 me or to any of those
acquainted with our situation. 1t was
an unfortunate place for the enemy had
lie advantage Of us. Consequently we :
lost many men and officers. | do not q
mean to say that think our officers c
hid the bes; they could, moi am | as
many have done done, going to lay all a
he blame on Them. And one misfor. i
une seemed to follow another, for we v
lad no sooner fallen back to establish
Jew lire in a more advantageous stua
ion, than came the disaster at Broad h
Run, of which you have learned all n
he particulars long before this. | think b
7ery much wrong has been done US as (
Regt., by those who have not fully un- ,
lerstood our circumstances, and what Al
We have had to undergo. The LIST Vi. [
cavalry has done nothing to make me Il
sharned to own that belong to it. 1t :.
5 true we have been unfortunate in off H.
ors, bat a better set of men never came lis
rom VT, or any other state. We were q
harged At one time, and 10y some one u
= VT, that We chad worn ont nine bun- =, ~
red horses, and bad accomplished moth III
lg." only wish that all persons hav- OF
lg such feelings could have accompa- DC
led US, they would have sung a differ -
Mt song. Such talk is a great consola- fo
on TO US, who had come out here and sill
az undergone so much, to know that an
lch people were snug at home, enjoy. ~
e all the comforts of life, but vii! not -
g too hard, / must remember that they ne
ere anxious TO see great results. ca
ave found war to be far different thing it,
ian supposed it to be before came lnl
lt' But must go on with what | was H.
'Ing to say, we were soon relieved bo
ON doing picket duty, aud came here. Vi
Fairfax G. H. is the headquarters of sn'
en- Stahl's Division Of Cavalry, which goi
insists of three Brigades, the LIST Gen. Or