Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-04-28

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in the ranks we entertain ideas Of our own in re-
gard to this and we always fancy that we are
about right. Certain indications will always rise
to the surface to tell Of coming events and ey-
eybody knows how quick We Yankees are to
learn the art Of guessing. When officers begin
to look good natured and their wives begin to
multiply III emp, We guess at once that an - i'm.
mediate advance on the enemys works is no!
contemplated But after ALL our calculations for
staying here may at any moment be annhilated.
We base our calculations for staying upon the
following premises
In the first place, some three weeks ago we re
ceiyed an order allowing US to pack up our over
coats, extra blankets if we had them, and send
them to Washington to be kept for US during the
summer campaign. Believing that this order
'oreshadowed an immediate onward movement Of
the amy, the boys gladly aya.ed themselves Of
this opportunity to save in this way, every article
lhl! could possibly be dispensed with on march
and was worth say.ag, last year's experience hay
! ng taught US the folly Of trying to carry more
than was a5'ouieIy necessary. On dress parade,
orders respecting ralions we're read similar to
those we always receive on tie eve Of march.
Furloughs we're revoked, and all absentees called
n. Every day for some little time We expected
to Try once mere the road to Richmond,--a road
that experience las told Us is an exceedingly hard
one to travel. But day succeeded day and no
more was ordered |. was almost dsapponl-
msnt soop fufloughs were being granted as be
fore, aud everything pertaining to HE camp
vent on as usual. II was even reported that our
extra clothing wa, coming back, but Of courie
this was an sIaggsTalion. Then we we're set to
work cleaning up our camping grounds. Rsgu-
lar streets were laid out for each company 10 the
different reg men.s Of this brigade. 10 DO this,
tents suppose il IS proper to denominaie them
tents-.ge cll them shaateis" or "houses
here which 10 the hurry Of camping here, sup
posing their stay to be only temporary, had been
Aucd.ed together in oil manner Of shapes, bad
many OF them to be removed and mad, 10 square
with the company street. We brought pine trees
from the woods and planted rev on each side Of
every one o. these, making each street vista, at
once pleasing and beautiful. The officers had
their tents encfc.sd BY grove Of pine, and many
Of the men did the same. Our camp now al
mos, has the appearance Of well aid out pleas
ure ground. At the entrance Of each street, an
arch is made Of poles dupsd with evergreen,
the company letter ingsnously made the same,
suspended from the apex. The whole gives an
ar Of bssuly and refinement TO the camp, that
cannot be without wholesome effect. We think
We have right to consider this q; least minor
indication iha! our stay here is to be prolonged
though last year the order to "police our camp
was so often followed by the order to march, that
it became proverba. This year. things msye
differently. l.uppose the men whose minds are
occupied only with the movements Of great
armies, the raising q men OF the developing Of
gigantic fnanenI schemes aud who form Their
opinions o. marches and battles from these,
would augh a! our plny IDEAS, bu; it may be that
we guess the nearest right after all.
II we're to step up into the higher attitudes Of
reasoning, and proclaim my opinion as worthy Of
consideration, should not bs at a loss to fud
evidence, from this source, Of prolonged stay 10
ihi. place. The relative strength Of the opposing
armies is no doubt proporiiona,eIy greater in h-
yor Of the rebels, now, than t. YER before. Every
avenue to Rchnoud is closed as secure as skill
and science can make them. No position that can
be made available ior defence is leh unfortfed.
The prestige Of victory is With them Several
times when our army was stronger, and theirs
was weaker than now, and when the way was
comparatively open, We have tried to capture the
rebe. capital, and so lar, We have signaiy, often
almost ANONYMOUSLY, failed. 1t seems to me
that /, must be rare compliment to the genius
OF the present Commanding General, TO suppose
him capable Of eoniending successfully agains.
these great difficulties with his slender means,
when others with greater Advantages, have failed
before less imposing distractions. have great
iAlN IN NtneTal lloohtE uut 4 uu uuN uVHeNI ~
skill or genius is inspired with anything superhu-
man. The soldiers who leok part in the battle
Of Fredericksburg, dislike trying the same thing
over again, not because they have lost courage,
but bccluse they see in it no prospect Of victory.
Citizens who live here and know the lay Of the
land between here and Richmond, say it is a sue.
cession Of ranges Of hills the whole distance, as
stroag by nature as that we tried to carry at
Fredericksburg. So il we succeed in driving them
from their present position, they have only to
fall back to the mex! strong position, where we
must dislOdge them the second time, and so on,
fighting them OF immense disadvantage each time
ill finally we may be oyerpowered ourselves and
} compelled to aot.ovsr again the sousickenng re-
treats of las. summer. Perhaps there is a way Of
following upon an enemy SO closely that he can
not gain advantage by falling back from one po-
stion to another, but il there is, our lea srs have
never yet discovered it.
Part. Of this army have been sent off, they
say, to operate in other parts. Our corps is to
be lett to hold this place and cover Washington
ill new contingencies develop themselves, says
the same aulhori,y-ihey ray. AAsr all 1t would
not be at all strange il we we're ordered to pack