Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1863-12-16
Correspondence Of The Republican
WHAT DUNE BROWNE AND THE SOL.
oiERs THINK OF THE LATE CAMPAIGN.
CAMP NEAR SrEvENsBuRa, Va. J
.. e. Sea-. December Sd 1858

q
Dear Republieans--We have Just re-
turned from our little excursion over. the
Rapidan, and as one might expect from
such miserable, barren, wasted and des-
oiate country as we have visited, we have
returned no whit richer than we went
away. Why, we fpd that not even lau-
yTels grow here at this season, aud SO
didn't pluck one, 50 far as | can learn.
We have just dropped over unceremoni-
ously to call upon Lee, and found him
making SO much fuss to receive us, over
doing the thing in fact, that we wouldn't
stop. but retired in disgust We don't
want too much parade made on our &C
count When we found that he was cut
ting down all the trees in his front door
yard to make an uncommonly high fence,
and even digging up a large part of his
farm into mounds and bitches and such
like ornamental works over our arrival
We woulden't counteuance the thing, and
came away before putting him to still
more trouble. .......a..s
30 The fall campaign in Virginia may now
be considered as closed, should taiuk,
and as pretty even thing on the whole.
They have made US visit, and we have
made them visit. There has been Sec
saw game across the Rappahannocls, in
which each side has gone up and, gone
down, and nobody can say which has kept
the longest end of the plank, r-.
The simple state of the case is this,
that both the Virginia armies are now so
well disciplined and experienced that they
are very hard to beat. One side must
make some serious blunder to Rect any
serious disaster: and they don't make
great blundcrs, They have grown eau
tious over the experience of Frekericks-
burgh and Gettysburgh, and they have
learned the value of even slight and has
tily thrown-up breastworks With the
formidable rifles now in use, single line
of veteran soldiers, behind three-foot
breastwork of earth and rails or stone
fence, can drive back and almost destroy
similar lines approaching to attack them,
and we have all learned this truth. and
even the most pitiful coward and sneak in
aregilnent knows that the safest place is
to stay by and not get shot in the back as
he runs away. Give either our army or
the rebels twenty-four hours notice of an
approaching attack, and they will select
good position and throw up entertainments
which it is folly for any but overwhelm-
ing superior numbers to attempt to carry.
We went over the Rapidan, hoping to get
at the enemy in some spot where his su-
periority in position would no more than
balance our superiority in numbers. But
he set his men to chopping and digging
till, in their high and commanding posi-
ton, we should have only made another
Fredericksburgh by trying to storm them.
The order Was given, and the hour was
fixed e o'clock Monday morning., KNAPP
sacks were piled up under guard, the men
were cautioned as to all the particulars of
their advance and every officer and SOL
der made himself ready, and the first
note of the bugle, to advance on that short
road to death or victory. And had the
bugle sounded that liue would have moved
steadily up and done what human valor
and endurance could do towards planting
our battle flags on the crest Of those brist.
ling works. They might perhaps have
done it at the sacrifice of half or two
thirds of their number. But it is very
serious perhaps" and the hour passed,
the bugle sounded not, the charge was
not made-and VIC are safely and perhaps
a little ingloriously back again in our
old camp. We have met with no serious
losses 50 far as have learned. Our re-
treat was very skilfully conducted, and
few stragglers fell out and few prisoners
we're taken. G ere5E unHh
If deciding not to attack, we had moved
at once back to Fredcricksburgh, and &C.
eupied the nights In the rear of the city.
for our winter quarters, VIC should have
oil felt that good thing had been done,
and our labor not wasted But we waited