Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-07-22
A CoNsCRIPT's LETTERING. 10.
CkMP MAR PETERSBURG X. X. /

OF sevea days duration. A little more than
half OF that time was passed in the trenches
behind the breastworks, and the remainder
resting at the rear. At the front we were
comparatively safe IL we kept down behind |
the breastworks; although rebel shell ex- |
ploding in our immediate vicinity occasion /
ally warned us that even then we were not
out Of the enemy's reach. But curiosity in !
difference and necessity, often causes our boys |
to expose themselves, and sometimes one was
hit. The rebels must have bad sharpshooiers
in some Of the pines overlooking our work,
and when detail Of men came IN from the
rear with boxes of bard tack on their shout
ders. the balls which struck the surrounding
trees above and on each side in quick sue
cession, showed that they were not unob-
served.
In going from one part Of the lines to an
other most Of the men crouohed to obtain as
much protection from the bresstworks as
possible, but others from a spirit Of indfFer-
enoe or bravado, walked upright as usual.
One man was the object Of special notice to
many, never bowling his head, never acceer-
stng his pace, never hesitating TO expose
himself when exposure was necessary for the
accomplishment Of his purposes, always cool,
yet never doing anything to attract attention,
and never should judge. exposing himself
for the excitement which certain amount OF
danger often produces,--slil in one instance
when he attracted the attention of the rebel
sharpshooters, and half dozen balls struck
the trees within yard on either side, the
love Of life for the moment predominated, and
be lodged like others and fastened out Of
danger. Our cooking was done over hres a
few feet in the rear. These we're usually ex-
tinguished at night. In one instance party
who had just returned from picket and bad
been without coffee through the day, without
needing the warnings Of their comrades, com
menced preparing that beverage which every
soldier prizes so highly, but their work was
hardly done before the report Of "a gun and
the sound of shell directly overhead, made
it necessary to scatter the fire brands as soon
as possible. At the rear we have opportuui-
~ to move about, wash ourselves and obtain
needed rest but even there long-range
ball occasionally found its way from the front,
sometimes striking man. There was no
safety from the enemy's shell within range Of
their guns. Some came from lorg distance
so that the FIRST and only warning was that
peculiar sound which Il nearly spent she'll
makes in passing through the AIR. For a few
seconds we would hear this, then followed
the report as it exploded scattering the frag
ments all around. Up to Sunday night, Juae
18th the breastworks we're manned, firing
kept up, and fatigue parties detailed to work
on the Notifications. At 9 o'clock Z. NJ we
received the order to pack up and fall in
We then advanced a mile add formed in line
Of battle behind breastwork, where we re-
NAMED to guard against possible attack in
the rear, until midnight, then we advanced
about eight miles | should Judge, and halted
to prepare and eat our breakfast at 4 clock
A. M. Through the remainder of the day
we marched rapidly, though with frequent
and long rests, often occasioneo by the state
Of the roads, crossed the Chickahomany at
, g J. NJ. and encamped for the night at 8.
The next morning we were on the move again
AT o'clock, advanced about four miles in
the direction of James river, where we en-
camped in an open field, threw out pickets
and remained two days.
On the morning Of the 10th we move for
ward another mile nerrer the river, which we
crossed in the evening Of the same day on
pontooo bridge not far from Charles City |
Court House and then pushed on towards
Petersburg although at the time we supposed !
City Point to be our destination, the LIST and
sd divisions of the 9th corps were conveyed
TO City Point on transports | am informed
division offered to bet twenty barrels of
whiskey that he would get his division to Pc |
terburg, ahead of two which we're carried to
City Point on the stem transports. Our
men fatigued with the march, and seeing no
prospect OF immediate rest, gave out to their
feelings of irritation by such expressions as
are common among soldiers at such time, one
exclaiming when the column was compelled
to halt for a moment by some obstruction in
the road :" Oh don't stop" or, don't stop
because you think | am tired, for amt" and
so on, with variations. according 10 the dsposi-
ton OF the speaker. Soon our rests we're 90 fire.
quent and long that they were almost as tire
some as continuous marching. BY night
march the heat Of the day is avoided, but a
slough hole in the road which by day would
soon be passed over, will check the progress
of the entire column for a long time. A rest
of fifteen or twenty minutes to the mile is
very acceptable, but those long stops at night,
when the soldier cannot spread his blanket,
and does not wish to fall asleep, lasting until
he is thoroughly chilled, and then giving
place TO forward move Of few rods in a
state OF semi consciousness are anything but
pleasant. Many Of our boys turned into the
woods, and overlook their regiments in the
morning. The division halted at 3 o'clock A.
m, having made ten miles perhaps. At 6
O'Clock a. m. we advanced again, and at 10
a. m. encamped within five or six miles of
Petersburg, confident in the belief of the re-
port which had several times reached us, that
Petersburg was in our possession, pleasant
illusion soon to be dispelled by cavalry men
coming from the front who informed US Of the
actual state Of affairs. At two o'clock D. m
we advanced mile, the heat was intense and
many of the men with difficulty kept their
place in the ranks. After resting an hour,
we moved on again and halted near the arst
line of works captured by our forces from the
enemy. At shutdown the I'd W. regiment
was ordered on picket. We deplcyed as
skirmishers, advanced quarter of a mile in /.
northerly direction and relieved the pickets |
who were stationed along side Of a wide and /
deep ditch. Here after posting the videttes,
we spread our blankets and preparing for /
night rest, but were aroused by the sound of
musketry on our left. 1t was the heaviest
firing had ever heard. and as il seemed TO
be drawing nearer we concluded that the en-
envy were driving our men. Soon our bat
teries opened and for about twenty minutes
the heavy reports of the large guns following
each other in rapid succession, blended with |
the rafting volleys of musketrv and than