Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-05-05
A Soldiers Letter--No 10.
ON PICKET ST. GEORGES COUNTY, Nar I
April 10, 1868.

EDITOR fREEMhN - lChtI uhy nus NumV
around again, and being once more on this duty
away out from camp, out Of sight Of all dwellings
and habitations save few negro huts, or hog
pens, one can hardly tell which, such as are vlsl'
ble throughout the whole of slayery's accursed
territory,--what could suggest itself, as means
Of passing the time more agreeably in a place
so lonely as this, than to hold a little written con-
yersation with you, and perhaps, through your
kindness, speak to many other good friends who
love to hear of our welfare, and on whom our
thoughts will sometimes lngcr in spite OF the
rough gaiety camp life eyokes. | cannot tell YOU
exactly where am, but it is somewhere on the
boundary line between the United States, what
there is left Of them and the Southern Conle1o-
racy. need not tell you, Mr. Editor, that it Is
quite romantic place here to sit and talk, or
write, and ones thoughts can hardly help being
inspired by the beauteous scenery SO layishly
spread out by Nature all around. We are be-
tween two hostile armies both of them drilling
and exercising their men, and teaching them, as
fast as they can, the arts Of killing each other, and
pracicing those that are already learned, that they
may not forget them. Brethren once born under
the same flag, reared under the same beneilcent
Government and prosperous by the same happy
Union, now at deadly variance, seeking TO mbrue
our hands in each others blood, and striving by
all the means we can command to injure and
destroy each other. Already has mourning been
spread throughout the land, and poverty, suffer
ing aud desolation scattered everywhere What
fearful load OF guilt the band Of traitors who
caused this calamity have to meet at the bar Of
justice, when the Father Of the htheress, and the
Judge Of the widow calls them to their final ac-
count II there is a pit in bell deep enough to
receive them it must be very deep one indeed.
Yes, it is a beautiful place here-beautiful to-
day. The forests Of pine are beautiful, SO clear
and transparent they look in the bright sunshine
Of to-day, so soft and furry as they appear when
viewed from greater distance. And the music
is beautiful Natures own, that comes from q
thousand branches, poured forth from a thousand
tny throats sweet melodies making cheerful the
passing Spring, and welcoming approaching Sum
mer. The ground itself is beautiful too, as It's
carpet Of green begins to relieve the deadness Of
the shrubbery around. The meanderng brook,
that finds its way along the winding valley close
by, shall not be denied its claim to beauty. Eve
rything Of Natures make that man has not spoil
ed is beautiful and yet, the place is lonely,
gloomy and desolate. Beautiful as most of the
farms are n Virginia, there seems to be, or to
have been, but few inhabitants who have occupied
here 10 enjoy it. Few and widely separated are
the dwellings here, and yet, occupying land that
10 Vermont would soon be covered with trim cot
tage', owned by thriving, happy population
God must have made great many acres of hand
some forest here in Virginia for nothing or else
he made it to look at himself But trere arC
fields well cultivated and in high state Of i'm.
provement. What seems strange to a New Eng
lander is, that it should take SO much area for SO
few inhabitants.
One can hardly suppress feeling Of regret, to
see land so fair SO ruthlessly destroyed by the de-
mon Of war. Miles on miles Of as finely imbered
country as was ever produced, are stripped laid
waste, barred to the earth wherever the army has
been. Fences have been converted into fuel, and
houses withou, number burned 10 the ground.
q. .s.l
well be otherwise. Soldiers will not respect for
ests nor fences when they are benumbed with
cold nor will they be content to take any less
than their need, require for the sake OF economy
or to spare the pockets or the homes of the Sc
cesh inhabitants. Virginia is q guilty state, and
the day Of her retribution seems TO be at hand
1t will be long time before she canlrecoyer what
she is now losing and the end is not yet. ON
nipotent wisdom alone can tell when the end vii
come, or the extent of ruin that will be accom-
phshed when the end does come. If Virginia anC
her sister conspirators against our good Govern
ment were obliged to bear the whole burden o
their guilt, il would be well, but this cannot be
The whole Nation is involved, and deep grief anC
poignant sorrow must be borne by the North, t
expate the crimes of the South. The issue a
vet seems uncertain and yet it cannot be unceT
tain so long as God is Just God does not low
slavery; there is no slavery in Heaven. Go'
does not love rebellion rebellion could not liy
there. He hates oppression and oppressors IL
. loves liberty and respectful otedie; ce to iu.
law No the issue cannot be uncertan,--
"For rghtl, ri sht since God is God.
And right the day must win
To d oubt would be dsloyaiy
To falter would be sim
( There is no other way,-there can be no othe
for peace or for prosperity but to fight out tn
D rebellion to the bitter end, ,ubjugate and destro
e il. After all the toll we have undergone, all th
= sufferings we have endured and dangers we hay
ou,yed, il is certainly an occasion Of grief and ii
: dsna,ion to US to hear of those at home who al
= talking Of peace, to be purchased by concessio
t uo,p. There are soldiers here that would ratht
= their bones should rot in Virginia than to hay
y anything happen to our Government SO humilia
d ing. Possibly we m'y be obliged u 'urrend'
I and give up to rebels, but it is cowardy to beie'
e so, aud it is doubly distilled cowardice to thin
d of any such thing now. Shall we comics, to Il
!, rebels that we have been wrong and they hay
!, been right, that we have been numbering then
and they only killing US in self dsienee' Sha
we confess that we have been all the while u
argre.ers, while they were only resoloiely col
,oi;n, f,r ibpir rghtsp s all we confess tn