Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-04-17
Our Aruu Correspondence.
FROM THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT.
WoLr RUS SHOALS, VA, /
March %, 1868.

"winter quarters" for this brigade is at last
broken, and preparations are being made Tor
the active work Of the spring osmpaign-a
campaign which hope and trust will not be
70 prolonged as to embrace also the warmer
and more sutry summer months from eve
~ Department Of the army, we hear oil active
work about to commence, and another at
tempt to tighten the folds Of the anaconda
which has been thrown around the rebellious
and seeded States. May prove the death
Of rebellion and treason in the United States.
in this Department -- the Department OF
Wsshiugton-the forces are being arranged
for more efficient protection OF the City OF
Washington, and il need be, preparatory to
aid the Army Of the Potomac when Fighting
Joe" shall make an advance across the Rap
pahannook, as VIC beliye, on his successful
march on to Richmond The outposts
are being strengthened, and everything be-
gins to look like active work. The present
week the l4th, 5th and 10th Vermont regi-
ments, which have been encamped at Fairfax
Station for the past two months, have been
ordered forward-the l4th joining the 18th
and 18th at this place. and the 9Th and 10th
going to Union Mills, about six miles to the
North Of here where the Orange and Alexan-
dria Railroad crosses the Bull Run river
Gen. Casey, who is in command of this Di-
vision, has removed his headquarters from
Washington to Centervile and is accompa-
MED by one or two brigades thus ehectually
closing the doors against any more rebel
raids" from that direction Gen. Stahl,
with force Of six thousand TO nine thousand
cavalry, has removed to Fairfax Court House,
ready to entertain the rebel Gems. Stuart
and Lee whenever they shall see fit to pay
him visit.
Previous to this new disposition Of our
forces, the rebel sympathizers within our
lines land there are very few citizens who do
not belong to this class had become bold and
defiant especially so since the capture Of
Gen. Stoughton. They made no secret Of
their belief that in a very short time we should
be obliged to "skcdaddle' from the Occoquan
in the direction Of Washington, and gucrralla
bands in our rear were heard of almost daily.
But since the new programme of operations
in this Department has been published, we
hear nothing Of guerillas, and the citizens
generally are in more of a wonder as to what
is to be done next. Indeed, | suspect that
rebel spies who have been hanging around
our camps and giving information to the reb-
ell leaders, are making their way back to reb-
eldom. Only day before yesterday scouting
party found horse with a full set Of equip
ments--saddle, bride, oarbne, sabre and
pistols, the saddle bags filled with unground
corn-all bearing rebel marks, near our pick
ct lines, and upon a careful examination raft
was found in tie river near by on which i
is supposed the rider had crossed. That the
rebels in this vicinity are less defiant and
more downcast is plainly to be seen. May
their dependency be increased by series
of Union victories which shall send terror
throughout the whole Conicderacy, is the ear
nest prayer of every soldier in the army.
The accounts which reach us of the desti-
tuition which prevails throughout the entire
South are confirmed by the reports of our
scouts who have penetrated but few miles
beyond the trout of our lines. The inhabi-
tants every where make no secret of their
inability to subsist themselves much longer
under the despotism and tyranny under which |
they are weighed down The country is
literally cleared of almost everything eatable,
and the prospects for the future are gloomy
in the extreme. Refugees from this impend-
ing starvation have crowded to the North by
the hundred, until Government has been com
PEELED to issue a new order allowing none but
contrabands to como within our lines. This
is but an act of self-preservation for the Gov
eminent. No principle Of justice OF humani-
ty can compel US 20 receive and feed the starv-
ing poor of the South, so long as what little
Of food still remains in the seeded States is
being impressed to feed soldiers in arms a
gainst the Government. Every refugee who
comes within our lines but decreases the num-
Der of those whom the rebel leaders must, in
some manner, feed; and for Government to
receive and subsist them, is but to send so
a, A,lls 90
long as the South remained loyal to the Con-
stitution and laws, no such restitution was
known; and il now starvation stares them in
the face, they have but to lay down their arms
and return to the protection of that Govern
ment which they have attempted to destroy,
and peace and plenty will again be showered
upon Thorn. see no hope for the rebellous
States save in Il speedy and unconditional sub
mission to the rightful authority of the United
States Government, and a return to the UnioI
as it was say the Union as Cas;
should say as Il must be, for the day is past
when it is, or was, possible to restore thu
Union in all respects as Il tcas. The rebellion
will have materially changed the IDEAS an,
opinions Of men of all parties in the North
and the same is true to some extent in tn
South and the peculiar institution Of tn
South will have received its death wound il
the house of its own friends. Slavery, as al
institution, can never exist in these Unite,
States. 1t may linger for a season in certai
localities but it's ultimate extinction is fxe
beyond the possibility of doubt. The revo
luton in the habits and customs of the pee
pie of that portion Of the Union where it ha
heretofore existed, will be so great as to MAX
a new era in their existence and the Union
TO them, will seem new alliance me-
Union, whose bonds shall be stronger an
more enduring than they ever could be $
long as the institutions Of the two section
were 30 dissimilar. "Old things will hav
passed away, and behold all things will hav
become new"
Much is, or rather has been, said at III
North respecting the spirit of the army no.
in the field, spending their energies, and the
blood if need be, in the defense of Reput
lican Government and designing and po
ting politicians have attempted to misrepr,
sent the true feeling tina exists among tn
soldiers. am happy to see that regimen
after regiment and brigade after brgad
have spoken, in unmistakable terms, their u
ter reputation Of the malicious falsehooc
respecting them that hove been manufacture