Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-05-12
Seventeenth Regiment.

The Brattleboro Phoenix has a letter
from the Seventeenth VT regiment dat
ed May I'd, from which we extract the
following
III might be pardoned an expressive
remark as guiltless of originality as the
movements of the army of the Potomac,
| would suggest that doubtful things
are uncertain" Every intelligent reader
knows that in the army, subordinate
commanders and men know nothing
They are not presumed TO know anything
beyond orders, tactics and regulations,
and it is a violent presumption to pre-
sumo that in all cases they know even
that much. 1t is not our business TO
know, nor is ii our privilege under mill
tary etiquette, To even inquire, IL rs our
duty TO obey.
In accordance with this duty the 18th
is at Bristow rather than at Annapolis,
Geographic dispatch from Major Gen.
Burnside changing our destination at
the Junction TO Washington, and thence
TO Alexandria. Accordingly we reached
the latter city on Friday afternoon near
ly five days out from Burlington, and
encamped on its outskirts, reporting TO
Col. Bliss OF the It'll Rhode Island for Or
ders. On Tuesday last we were brigaded
and assigned TO the Second Division,
Second Brigade of the Ninth army corps,
commanded by Maj. Gen. Burnside
may here remark that the 9Th corps
is composed of four divisions, command
ed respectively by Gems Crittenden,
Parke, Wilcox and Ferro, the last being
composed almost exclusively OF colored
troops, or American citizens of African
descent. The second brigade is COM
posed of the 9th, 9th and 18th New
Hampshire, the 3lst and sd Maine, and
the 18th Vermont, and is commanded
by Col. L. C. Griffin of the 9th n. III. At
this present writing, owing to the alb
sence of the Division General and the
General commanding the LIST brigade,
Col. Griffin is in command of the livi-
sion, and Col. II. B. Titus, formerly of
Chesterfield, and well known to many of
your readers, of the 9th N. H., is in
command Of the brigade. The 18th N.
II. is under Colonel Walter Hartman,
late editor of the Manchester Union
Democrat, These are all old troops aud
have seen much hard service. The 9th
has been in all of Burnside's campaigns,
and the 9th in many of them as well as
at the siege of Vicksburg The other
three are new regiments, the 31st Maine
coming out with us from New York, and
the 32d two days later. The 31st has
nine companies, the 32d six, and the 18th
seven.
Gen. Burnside's command that was al
Annapolis, marched through Washing
ton ON Monday, and was reviewed by
the President. 1t is reported that the
marching of the negro regiments was
peculiarly fine, and as they sang "Jubi
lee" in accompaniment to their Brigade
Band, they ELECTED much applause.
Wednesday morning last the entire
command including the new troops
which had been put in shelter tents, had
their baggage reduced to one change OF
under clothing, an extra pair of shoes
minus great-coats and dress coats, and
with the addition of five days rations Of
tack and pork" was put on the march
lfom hleAanufla no ohe, save perhaps
Gen. Burnside and his division com.
manders, knowing where to. At night
we found ourselves at Fairfax Court
House, a locality with which some of US
were well acquainted, with weariet
limbs and sore feet. 1t was long marcel
for new troops under warm sun and il
dusty roads. Thursday night found us
at Bristow, where we are now encamp
ed.
The sanitary condition of the regiment
is good, with the exception that tn,
measles are rife. The season and weather
are, however, favorable, and all the cases
are doing well.