Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1863-09-17
FROM THE CAVALRY.
CAMP ON THE RAPPAHANNooK,
Sept. 9TH, 1868.

but the old adage is, better late than
never" The Newsdealer visits us here
in camp. as regular as we could expect, as
it finds US in so many different localities.
| will try to tell you where we are now.
Where we are? Yes here on the Rap
pahannock. four miles above Falmouth,
and twenty-five below Warrenton juno
tion. What are we doing? Picket duty
on the river Most of the regiment-all
fit for duty--are at the different posts
which are stretched between here and the
town,-village we would call it in YER
mont. All fit for work. and they are few +!
That campaign in Maryland and Penn
sylvania, reduced our ranks greatly.
Not all who are absent now were shot, or
wounded, or even missing" Only nine
teen were killed outright, forty
were wounded and lO5 were missing.
So said the surgeons report. But march
ing continually, sometimes in the night,
fighting often-not always in great bat
ties, for, thank God, Gettysburgh does
not come every day-and the fatigue, and
excitement wore out many. Silently, one
by one, places were made vacant and the
ranks grew smaller. So, now we are re-
duced to small number of effective men.
Not many of those with us are sick-none
dangerously think. On the contrary,
most are in good health and excellent
spirits. We have recently, however, had
a detail Of one hundred and eight men
from companies A, X, D and NJ, under
Capt. Grover. They are acting as Gen.
Meade's body guard. This took nearly a
third of our number, and of course, their
loss is felt. About the time they went,
Col. Sawyer, who had for while been in
command of the brigade returned to the
regiment. His return was occasioned by
a change in brigades, our regimenC being
transferred to the second brigade COM
manded by Gen. Custer.
Since Lees retreat, our duty has been
different from what it was while he was
on his visit north and as it is not likely
to be noticed by the papers, so perhaps a
word will not come amiss. While the
rebel army was passing up the Shenandoah
our regiment was guarding the passes
i'll the Blue Ridge, which at that time,
separated the two armies. Moving often
from one gap to another, sometimes sta.
toned within calling distance of .he enc.
my, and often fred upon by small parties
of them,-our duty Was none of the cas-
lest. While in this vicinity, almost dai
ly deserters came into our lines. Al
soon as the two armies had passed tn,
mountains, we moved to the river, ant
since, have been guarding the ford, inc
scouting through the vicinity. Here. too
we have found them friendly enough by
day exchanging papers, talking across
the river, and once or twice bathing to
gether, yet he could not always rcpress hi
disposition enough to let our posts alone il
the night. We have. however, been troub
led but once or twice in this way, ant
and now all communication with them i
denied.
Freeman's Meeting day" the Who'll
, division took holiday and went on
raid into King George County, where W
found small force. We drove them acros
the river to Port Royal, and the mex
morning, for it was too late that night
the artillery with us. battered away a
two gunboats in the river, disabling AM
= partially destroying them. The Is
= Vermont took the advance, as soon a
we came upon the enemy, compar
les E aud leading No one of the regi
ment was injured.
Hoping to hear good news from tn
: election, and with three groans for the DE-
testable copperheads, | remain
Yours, &C., loyalty inclined
! MARcKs
, ca Among the distinguished guests Q