Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-06-26
Tour Army Correspondence
FROM THE 18TH REGIMENT.
UNION Mus, VA, June Is, 1865.

up the Rappahannock, and Of Gen Hooker
forces to meet the enemy thus threatening his
right seem to bid fair to bring the theatre Of ac-
tive conflict close to us 1t has been approaching 4
US sensibly Of late. The battle Of last Tuesday
was hottest at and near Rappahannock Bridge .
and Beverly's Ford, where the Twelfth Vt. was /
stationed but few days ago. Since then the /
outposts of Gen. Hooker's army and Of this .
Brigade, have been in daily contact for week
This morning We see the dust and hear the dis
tant roll of drums of two army corps, falling
back to this line. The impression Is pretty gen.
eral that the next big fight may take place in
this vicinity, perhaps rendering again and thrice
memorable the historic ground of the two great
Bull Run battles.
had the pleasure of visiting that battle
ground on Saturday last. The troops Of our
Brigade have long guarded Blackburn's Ford
where Gen. Richardson opened the first battle OF
Bull Run, and have picketed upon the
outskirts Of the first battle ground; but
the actual battle field has always been
outside Of our lines, and is traversed
so frequently by rebel scouting parties, that 1t
has not been safe to visit it at all times, or at
any time except with a party Of size and
strength enough to take care Of any small squad
! Of g hushwhackers, or Mosby's cavalry
A very fair party collected for our excursion.
We had Col Blunt, Lieut. Col Farnham, Major
Kingsley, Captains Ormsby and Paul, Adjutant
Vaughan. Lieut. Cloyes, Drum-Major Downer,
and Hospital Steward Hard, of the Twelfth
Col Randall and Surgeon Nichols Of the Thir-
tenth Adjutant Peabody, Quartermaster Hen
~. and several other officers Of the Sixteenth,
whose names do not now recall, DR.. Ketchum'
Medical Director Quartermaster Brownson,
Lieut.. Prcntiss, Lieut.. Thompson and your
humble servant, Of Gen. STANDARDS Staff, with
orderlies and attendants enough to make cav
alcade Of twenty-five. armed Of course, and well
mounted 1t was party, whose capture would
make something Of hole in the d Vt Brigade;
but We saw no armed enemy and were seen of
none so far as we were aware.
At ten O'Clock we started from Union Mills,
crossed Bull Run at McLean's Ford, and struck
off into second growth Of low pines towards
the battle field It was some five or six miles
thence in a direct line but, not familiar with
all the windings of the interminable bride paths.
which there as elsewhere in Virginia intersect
every piece Of forest and traverse every valley
and field with a complete network, We made a
longer distance Of it. sui We could not well
lose the main direction. For while we kept
near the bank Of the Run, edged with trench
and breastwork for mile after nile continuously
on the southern SIDE. These were Beauregari'
works. and are well constructed, as the rebel
works generally are in this region. Leaving
these on the right we bore off TO the Wet and
came out in time to a more open and cultivated
or cultiyatable country. Col Randall and Ad-
iutsnt Peabody were members of the old VI p
and at once recognized the neigi.borhood Of then
frs, battle Down thro hollow we dashed, theI
over a ridge. and soon were gathered on the spo
: where Ricketts, battery was taken, and the vic
torious advance Of our army changed to pant
: and disgraceful flight The ruins of the hous
around which the battle ragged fercely and il
: which a woman was killed, were near Us. Til
rose bushes still GROWN the rank grass which
covers what was once the door yard or flower
garden. and blossom as freely as if the storm O
battle had never swept over them. \ grave
protected and almost hidden by some rails throw
S around it, close by the ruined chimney stack
d We conjectured to be possibly the resting plac
. Of the hapless occupant, whose fate gave her
B., plsce in the history Of the first great battle o
n the great War for the Union. The grave O
4, Lieut. Ramsay, and the spot where Col Barlow
o Of Georgia fell, (once marked by a small marbl
4 monument, which for some reason was re
moved to Nanassa. Junction by the rebels las
, summer) are also right there. Plucking som
roses to be pressed and sent home as mementoe
Of the battle ground, we passed on and over tn
fell Guided by Col. Randall We saw where tn
Is fighting opened on the right and centre wher
S the old Vt u, then a regiment Of a month old
: first went INTO action; where its line Of battle wa
Re formed; where it advanced to the support {
= Ricketts, battery; where, upon the attack q
It Johnstou's fresh forces, upon our right, it wa
II ordered to fall back; and where its dead wer
= collected and buried. Many Of the dead, VIII
Il fell in both the first and the last battles Of Bu
is Run, were not buried, but simply covered wit
r earth as they lay, and the skulls and bones fire
{. quenty protruding from the little mounds sho'
: how Intellectual was the process but the Vermont
= ers, it seems were decently inferred in a
4 There are no headboards to mark the graves, an
, the grass grows thick and green over them. W
~. passed by Dogan's house. still standing, thong
, unoccupied, over to the field of the last bat
tie, we saw of course, d" the stone house,
windowless and deserted, and marked by canno
- shot; and we took our homeward way, by tn
= Turnpike, fording Bull Run at the famous ston
y bridge, now bridge no longer.
The battle-ground is a wide and spaciou
clearinc-not a level field, but a rolling
hollow and rounded ridges. saw on it not
trace of rife-pt or earth-work Of any description
lie and the fighting must have been in the main ope
/. stand-up work The ground is almost covered i
one or two spots with skeletons Of horses Its sur
. face is ridgel with graves aud strewed (tho' nc
n very thickly) with cartridge-boxes, remnants {
n uniforms and knapsacks, and here and there
! rusty bayonet or unexploded shell saw bu
. two or three round shot-six pound balls Man
! Of the marks Of the conflict are doubtless hidde
by the grass, which grows probably thicker tha
before on soil enriched by the blood and bones c
fallen patriots and rebels. 1t is now entirel
h uncultivated and deserted; but several of tn
IL farms around and near it are in a pretty goo
state of cultivation for Virginia, and in tim
(perhaps before the close of the war, if not aga
made the scene of conflict, the plough-shar
will be driven over its slopes, through grave an