The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-06-24

the heroine OI inns tale WIS, 10 nef
great iov, released. She is now in this
city visiting friends having arrived at
the Biddle House Detroit Tribune.
--.----
THE SOLDIERS HOME MAIL
BY REV. H. CLAY TRUMBULL, CHAPLAIN
TENTH COM. VOLUNTEERS.
Few out of the army understand
how much the soldier thinks of letters
from home Scarcely any event-even
approaching battle--is the cause of so
general camp excitement as the mail
arrival. This is peculiarly the case at
SO remote a military post as St Au-
gustine. Perhaps once in n week or
ten days boat comes into MS from
jacksonville or Hilton Head, but with
such irregularity that she may be ex-
pected at any time, and confidently
looked for never. Whenever the tide
is such that she can cross the Bar,
wistfuf eyes, watching for her appear
ance, are turned seward continually
from the glacis or parapet, or lookout
of the fort, from the watery battery,
from the sea wall, and from the ocean
fronting plaza BY and by some one
catches a glimpse of her black smoke
stack, moving along beyond the low
sandy headland across the bay, and
the glad shout is raised "a boat 7"
"A boat! p Instantly the cry is caught
by others, and again and again re-
peated, until, up and down the streets,
it is heard throughout the town. and
the whole air is ringing with the well
come strain.
Then those who can do 60 watch her
untiringly, as though she might be
lost if their eyes were taken from her,
while others hurry to complete the
work in which they are engaged that
they may be ready ere she reaches the
pier, from which she is still several
miles distant. The gray-haired wealth
erbeaten old pilot puts off from the
shore in his little skiff, and he also
is watched until he reaches the steam
er. BY and by she is over the Bar She
passes the old Spanish light tower
She rounds the head of Anastasia
Island. She is opposite Fort Marion
Now, her whistle sounds At the first
blast all ears bend intently for anoth-
er, as though it would be the feeblest
whisper, for, if it be thrice repeated
she has mail on board.
There it sounds the second time
And now the third "God be praised'
say some with feeling of relief. The
boat is more welcome than before
Just look at this pier Here is the
post commandment. If there are two
regiments i'll town both colonies are
here. And here are all the other field
officers, and all the line and staff Off
GERS, who can be present. And here
are the civilians who come South for
their health. There, at the upper end
of the pier, kept back by the guard,
are the wistful enlisted men, who can
come no nearer. And yonder, coming
across the plaza, are the ladies, and
such of the patients from the Conva-
descent Camp of the Department as
have strength for the walk hither.
What an interested, anxious group =
all moved by the same desire for news
/ from home.
The boat is in. She brings scarce
any passengers but the mail is what
we look for. The huge leathern bags
are lifted into wagon and taken to-
wards the post-office, while the crowd
follows, commenting ON their size and
f,lboaoe NJ, .o,o,,oroI With tbnco ,af tho
last arrival, and ever Yankee guessing
for himself how many letters they con-
tain for him. 1t must be some time
before the letters are distributed but
what of that? He wonld be deemed
not industrious, but unfeellng, who
could work meantime 50 officers and
men move restlessly about, with eyes
ON the closed doors of the diminutlye
post-oifice until the letter-sorting is
complete. Now, what a rush for the
delivery And, oh, what a glad de
vouiing of homo intelligence.
1t took but little time to write some
of these letters but it will be long
time before they are sufficiently read.
"My mother writes me some tirst-rate
letters" said one of our boys to me
only few days since, "but lost the
best one of them when we broke camp;
used to love TO read it over" All,
mother if you knew how your boys
wild and hayward us they seem-poor
correspondents as perhaps they prove
themselves value your loving letters,
and read and re-read them in the lon
illness of camp, you would thank God
and take courage. No son Is to be de-
SPARED of while home has such hold
ON him.
Not all letters bring good news to
the soldier, but any letter is better
than none. Three days ago, full