The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-10-19

be on the way, for we had heard it whispered
that we were bound to the 'front.' had destroyed
our appetltes 50 that we did not eat half our
soup, but We realized the fact before we got our
, suppers, and resolved that the next time we
were ordered out would not allow anxiety in
regard to our trip to deprive US Of our regular
allowance, even ii our des tination were reported
to be Richmond itself. At the time appointed
we I" came up to the scratch and filed off as
escort to Capt. Norton and Capt. Bradbury, the
Inspector General of the Corps, in south.
westerly direction, on the read to Thoroughfare
Mountain, whittier they were going for The pur-
pose OF making the monthly inspection of
station anl It's appurtenances. Crossing Noun
tam Greek, aud passing through the village of
Culpepper, We entered barren pine waste
country. grown with briars, minus fences
and majority of the house, it once contained
they having been torn down by the soldiers
for fuel ana remarkable for nothing except its
general desolaton.
But before going further, allow me to do Gull
pepper justice by remarking tEat it is the
| pIeasantest and most modern town have vet
seen in Virginia Its streets are well laid out
and profusely shaded by the cutpaper tree,
which, from the abundance and beautiful hue
OF Its foliage is peculiarly adapted to purposes
OF sdornment. Among its residences, too, are
som3 which bear unmistakable evidence of hav
ing been designed by a Yankee architect and
built by Yankee workmen Of superior skill.
Some three or four mills beyond Culpepper
we passed outside our picket lines and did not
again return within them until very near the
village OF Jameson, at the foot of the mountain.
The mountain path was rather precipitous in
some places, but by clinging fast to our horses
names we managed to retain our sea ts in the sad
die until We reached the extreme summit, which
we did about four clock, having ridden fifteen
miles. Here a widespread view greeted our
gaze, Attracting many places of recent notoriety.
On the South, the Rapdan, the present frontier
OF rebellion, and on the west Madison Court
house. the scene of Kilpatrick's last brilliant ex
plot. Being pointed the direction in which to
look tor the rebel videttes, trained glass to
bear upon the spot designated and soon had the
pleasure OF discovering, just on the south bank
OF the Rapidan, couple of mounted " Southern
Confederacies,' and although they were several
miles distant, 80 powerful was the glass that |
was able to discern their features, the color of
Their hair, and the most minute details Of their
uniforms.
Leaving the mountain about five J.. M, we
took the road Tor cow path rather) to Cedar
Mountain, distant some ten miles in a southeast
erly direction, where there was another station
to VISIT Perhaps some of your readers would
like to ride ten miles, over southern road. in
such lnky darkness as reigned that night, none
OF your party knowing aught of their where
abouts except that they were in rather close
proximity to the rebel pckets, and perhaps 90
ing directly toward them but as for me, | d
rather be excused However, after blum lerno
around until about nine o'clock, leaping bitches
ana fences, wading through qnagmires and
stumbling over stone heaps, we at length saw
the light of camp fires In the distance, and after
some hesitation concluded to 20 to them. run.
ming the risk of getting ourselves in nest of
=" Johnnles. The camp proved to be that of a
portion OF the End Army Corps, who soon put
US on the right road and gave us the necessary
directions for finding the Cedar Mountain Sta
ton, where we arrived after an hours smart
galloplng. We found that the party in charge
had gone down the mountain for the niobt
leaving the Station entirely deserted, but we
had travelled far enough, and feeling the need of
rest and food to be more urgent than any busi-
ness we had to transact with the missing Signal
party, we unsaddled our jaded beasts, and set
about preparations for supper and nights
sound sleep. Looking about US at the camp
fires IN the valley below, and the twlnkling of
the rebel signal lights on the mountains to the
southwark and those OF our own corps in all
other direction, we could easily imagine our ,
selves hung upon some crag in mid air, with a
starry armament all around r =
During the night rain storm Sc, in. and "a
1t kept constantly increasing in violence, il fair
y poured by daylight Few officers would ,
have waited an hour, in such a storm. without
any shelter whatever, Tor half dozen privates .
10 make the coffee and fry the pork for their {
breakfast bat Capt Norton is man as we'll As
an officer, and does not allow his rank to set