Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-12-06

natured than day before yesterday, when the
cutting northwest wind wouldn't give man q
moment Of comfort, or moment Of release from
10 uncclsiug torment. Everybody is busy, too,
for such days are rare now, and men that bave
work to do, snatch at the golden moments. Let
4 stranger come into The brigade to-day, and
he would fnd but few idlc men. They are all
q. work a. something, the most Of them tuild-
Jog quarters Tor winter. The clsttor Of axes is
heard all through the Iwoods surrounding our
camps, and the crashing Of falling trees greets
he ear continually, Nobody knows how long
we src going to stay here, but We have been
here nearly a week already, and there are no
signs IL particular Of movement; and now
after this biting cold weather, pleasant day
like this is to- much for tho soldiers to lose in
speculating upon probabilities so they very nat
orally follow their old instinct and commence
at once and in earnest to build good, warm
houses that will be com .ortable in spite Of north
west wlrds, or winds and storms Of any kind.
we have he'd 70 leave our good quarters at
Strasbarg but We ore not going to be dlscour-
aged from building more on that account. 1t
lsn t our way Of doing business
We lef' Suasburg the morning Of the 9th
We were not drlrm away by any means, nor
did we leave because we were afraid We should
be at scme future time. We we're far away
from our base Of supplies, and it was difficult
for our horses and other animals to get sufficient
forage, either from the country or the govern
ment. More than that, we were giving the robs
an advantage over US for nothing. So long as
NC were so far from our base Of supplies, the
guerrillas could always annoy our trains There
was the North Mountain on our right, and tho
Blue Ridge on our left, afording excellent pas
sage ways for rebel cavalry to crawl through,
and pounce unawares upon our train, capture
and destroy what they could, aud then sAulk
back through some Of the gaps again, leaving
guard to shut tbs gap behind them. Now We
arc where we can have our hAnks protected by
our own cavalry, and can hold the valley just as
well here, suppose, as at Straspurg besides be-
ing about twelve miles nearer our supplies,
We left the next day after our Presidential
election. For two mornings previous to the
9Th, the troops were got under arms at daylight,
in expectation Of an attack from the enemy
Monday morning at four O'Clock the boys had
everything packed ready to fall into line at
moments notice, and 50 again Tuesday morning
but no movement was made, and the enemy did
not sttack us. 1t was known that Early was
receiving reeniorcemonts at New Market, and
though the boys would have liked nothing let
ter than to have gwen him another whaling,
ilege OF voting for, Uncle Abraham, Tuesday, a
thing that Early would have given, nobody
knows how many pieces oiarlillery and baggage
wagons to have accomplished
We marched back through Middletown and
Newtown, and took up our position on the
right Of the pike about two miles from the lat
ter place. Friday there was firing on the picket
line The robs had found out that we had lett,
and followed us. Friday morning the troops we're
under arms again, and all day held in readiness
/ for an attack. There was quite lively skrmish
ing at times during Friday and Saturday in
our 'front.' but they did not venture up to make
any serious attack. Before night gratifying
order came in from headquarters, stating that
Gen. Powell with his cavalry, had driven Len
nox's Division two miles beyond Front Royal,
capturing two pieces Of artillery, all the al
tillery he had,-his cassons, ammunition train,
and one hundred and ffy prisoners. Since
tnen everything has been quiet here, and the
troops have commenced building breastwotks 8
and throwing up Notifications,
The army left some very good works at S,ras-
burg, Our brigade occupying the town, wa,
10 position to forIify but the rest OF the division
on tn, crest Of the hill in the rear of Strasburg
had buili q good, substantial breastwork, and
placed an almost iDpenelrabe abattis in front
OF it, at good tsir range from the works. Woe
to the rebel line Of battle that had attempted t.
charge up that bill through that craggy, snarly
abatlis on to the q Division OF the 9th Corps
behind those breastworks. One would think
that 30 rebel could got there alive. 1t is very
seldom, however, that we have chance to us,
our works in that way. More commonly the
positions are reversed.
The New York boys had built good winter
quarters, as well as We. Some Of their house,
showed skill and ingenuity, on the pait o
the builders, OF no inferior quality. On th
western praires, no doubt there are many loJ
houses, not one whit more comfortable thar
some saw by tho side Of the road as We wor
coming along from Suasburg. And this, too
where the timber TO build of had to be- carri
ed by hand upwards of half mile, from a
adjoining woods. One fellow in the 49lh reg
ment had house that prince, endowed wit
the faculty Of approaching the good things c
this world, might have envied. |, was bull,
large straight cedar sticks, from three to f'
inches through, hewn smooth on the inside, an
papcrcd with newspapers. lie Cor thCy) had
board Aocr, brick hearth, glass window, and
good chimney for it's purpose as ever was bull
It had a capacious fto phc', and crane, ar
pot hooks, and all tho oonyenicnces for cookir
annexed. No doub. Itho owner Of that hou
enjoyed his work, and the.comicrt it bsslowe
with as much heartfelt satisfaction as half d
wealthy occupants of those princely resdcnc
tha. may be found on Fifth Avenue in tho ci
Of New York. |. was too bad that ho shou