Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-04-22
Letter from Harper's Ferry.
HARpER's Ferry, April 5, 1864.

with your request seat myself to write
you, fearing / have not much TO write
that will interest you or the readers oil
the Standard, it is with no small degree
Of reluctance that I seize my pen, but
il | must here goes.
Monday eve. after leaving you l went
to the New England rooms and put up
for the night, found It to be fine place
for soldiers to take refuge. | stopped
there until Tuesday noon, when l took
the II o'clock train for Philadelphia.
Arrived there at dark, the train being an
extra we bad to switch off and wait for
regular trains to pass which accounts Tor
our delay. Arriving OF Philadelphia
took supper at the Union Volunteer Re-
freshment Saloon, which by the way is
the best institution of the kind | ever
visited. 1t is supported by the patriotic
citizens of the city of brotherly love.
The walls are decorated with beautiful
pictures, the tables are covered with
choice viands. The people in charge
are pr.rec. ladies and gentlemen, and do
all in their power to promote the comfort
and welfare Of the soldier. There is also
a Hospital connected with the establish
ment, where the sick and weary soldier
receives the tenderest care from the fair
sex. So much for the good people of
Philadelphia. God bless them.
Tuesday eve. l took the IL o'clock
train for Baltimore. Arriving there at
6 o'clock Wednesday morning, which by
the way was very stormy one, snow and
rain fell together. reported to COL
Bowman who ordered me to report to
Col. Thomas of the 10Th &. S. Colored
Troops at camp Birney, about mile out
of the city. | was assigned to the COM
mand of Co. II. Thursday forenoon we
were ordered to be ready to march at 5
o'clock P. NJ, with 3 days rations to go
on a recruiting expedition, the detail to
number 280 men, exclusive of officers.
AT the above specified time we took the
cars for Harper's Ferry, arriving there
at II O'Clock, Friday, soon after which
we marched in the direction of Charles
ton, Va, arriving there near dark, the
afternoon being rainy We were little
moist, having marched s miles. You
will recollect the above place is where
Old John Brown was tried and executed.
As we entered the town The soldiers
struck up the tune of Old John Brown,
which made the citizens look very sour
the Indies, if may be allowed
to use the term some OF them shook
their fists and showed considerable Of
Old Serpent. AS the men were wet il
was necessary to burn some rails. /
went to house near by TO get supper, ]
was met at the door by thing in
crinoline, who was fun of anger, she
wished to know if those devils we're 60
ing to be allowed to burn rails. | told
her the men were wet and cold and must
have fuel. | concluded it was not a very
good boarding place and looked further
and found good accommodations.
Saturday morning it showed very fast,
we marched 10 Berryville, distance of
10 miles where we found few union
people and many secesh. Sunday we
marched to Winchester distance of 10
miles, stopped there long enough to make
fee, then resumed our march to Buns
ker Hill, where we encamped for the
night having marched % miles, the men
haying their knapsacks some of them
as large as small bureaus, had to ford
several streams. and march with wet feet,
yet they stood it brayely. | think they
will endure far more than white men.
| find thoy have much better under
standing of matters pertaining to our
Government than many suppose. have
no doubt but they will fight desperately.
Monday we marched TO the town of
Darksville and encamped for the night.
Tuesday morning the snow was inches
deep, having showed very fast all night,
| have no doubt it would have been a
foot in depth if none had melted. Blu;
as bad as the going was we marched to
Martinsburg and took dinner, patroled
the town and got what recruits we could,
then resumed our march to Shepards-
town, arriving there al 8 o'clock in the
evening, tired lot of fellows, having
marched IL miles, much of the way the
mud ankle deep. Wednesday we stop
ped at Shepardstown all day, got some
recruits. Thursday we marched to this
place and quartered in our old factory.
l think We shall stop here to-day. /
don't know where we shall go next
Unjust confess that I have been much
pleased with the valley of the Shenan-