Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-02-17
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
CAMP NEAR WOLF Rus SHOALS, Va, I
irh. 9TH, 1868.
FROM THE THIRTEENTH VERMONT.

CAMP NEAR WOLF Rus SHOALS Va, I
Feb. 9Th, 1868.
DEAR FREEMAN Your paper, as well as the
Deiy .I0wnql reaches II, vita great regularity.
They are looked for each evening with much
anxiety, and when, through irregulrty Of the
mails, We do not receive them, great diuppoini-
ment is felt. The public news, Of course We have
in advance Of them, but local news Of transactions
in and near cur own homes, we rely upon getting
through them.
You get, lsee, by your army correspondents,
all that relates to our brigade. Your readers
have learnt that the 18th AMI 18th regiments are
advance some six miles, being posted on the
Occoquan river, guarding some five miles on that
stream and on Bull Run. 1t makes our picket
duty very severe. But we came here TO work, to
DO what is necessary to be done and Vermont
men are not the Gr,tto complain, while the hard
ships imposed are necessary. Indeed the men
sand the long nights, through storms and cold,
with 50 little complaint that it surprises me.
The li,h, 18Th, and l6.h regiments are at
Fairfax Station, some six miles 10 our rear, and
although they are exempt from the picket dui!
on the frontier, to which the 18th and 18th are
subjected, they have other duties to perform,
which no doubt they regard as equally hard, in
building corduroy roads to enable US to get our
supplies from the station, guard duty at the sta.
ton, and the various other duties that arise. In
deed have yet failed to see the time or place il
the army, where Vermont troops were not put
unon Important and responsible duty. And, as
of,tu say to The boys, if they complain that they
are sent to the front, while other troops re.
main in the rear, lit Is hard, it is honorable.
But while we are patiently enduring the hard
ships of the camp, we often see degree Of mp
tienco exhibited by those at home, that paius us
1t is true that this war is unfortunate, that many
valuable lives are being lost, that it is costing the
country great deal to rry it on, but what is 10
be done ? The war, certainly, whatever may have
been the cause of it, has been Immediately brought
on BY the overt reasonable acts OF the rebsllious
States, by the reputation Of the authority of the
General Government. There we're but two things
to be done, of course, unter this state o
things One was to allow the belgerent State'
TO go quietly, without war. The other was TO re.
list their going at the expense of war. The Ad'
minislalion decided to resist, to mainain the su'
aremacy Of the United States Government, and
call the military force Of the country to its sup
port. The country unanimously sustained that
decision. 1t is rue, there may have been those
a year and a hlf O,.o who secretly in their heart
held different view', but il so the greater is their
niQuiiy. The Administration had right to un
lers,and that its decision was to be sustained b,
the people. A year and half ago the first CLASH
o. arms was heard. Since that time, armies or
either side Of near million Of men have beer
raised, equipped, and put in the field. Battle
with various results have been fought. 1t is tru
the rebellion has not been entirely crushed out
And because il has not,a rebellion so stupenduou
in in proportions, the fruit of growth OF ihirt
the y, srs,wsge by onn hslfOfa great nation aga n'
other persisted in vii all the zeal and biibrne