Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-01-12
Our ll)ar Correspondence.
a Soldiers Letter---No 81.
SECOND VERMONT REGIMENT,
NEAR BRANDY STATION, Va, Dee. 81.

NEAR BRANDY STATION, Va, Dec 81. {
EDITOR FREEMAN - Camp life is about al
dull as soldier need wish it to be. A cold, driz
zIng raius.orm is just now upon US, and the pat
teriug rain drops are making merry music on the
canvass overhead, willie not few Of them man.
age TO lind their way inside Of our little shanty
A every crack under the caves, and oil around
the wafer persists in obtruding its unwelcome
presence in our midst. Some OF these impert.
nent ra.ndrops, with presumption quite unpar.
donable, pay no attention to the roof Of our
house, but rush through and drop inside as il
aware Of the superior comfort TO be found near
our fire, which they have nearly put out. The
consequence Of all this is that our floor Of mother
earth is becoming very muddy and slipperyi our
blankets, our beds and our knapsacks are becom.
ing soaking wet and everything in the tent is be-
ginning to present horribly untidy appearance.
Notwithstanding all these unfavorabe ciIeum-
stances, have secured myself position on my
bunk, with two knapsacks for a seat, and in the
dryest corner Of the tent could find, and here,
regardless Of surrounding events, | have deter
mined to pen you few lines, at all hazards
The muddy season has fairly commenced. We
have had rain upon rain, and as natural conse-
quence, the mud has been growing deeper and
deeper. Persons who have always lived in the
dry climate Of Vermont, can hardly conceive Of
the extreme disagreeableness incident TO a muddy
region like this. Here one must confne himself
in his house, or if he ventures out be finds i'm.
self in mud ankle deep il not deeper, and woe to
the fellow that is poorly shod in this soshy, slip
perry, sticky, everywhere present mud mans
shoes mus, he well tied on or he will leave them
buried in this red clay mortar, Go where you
will, there is no relief everywhere it is the same
universal mud. However, We soldiers have one
good consolation from this evil, for as long as it
continues TO rain and be muddy there is no dam
ger that an advance movement will be made, and
we are pretty sure Of being allowed the privilege
Of remaining quietly 10 camp. We have not
been called out to drill for long time, but we
have had very liberal share of guard and ordi.
nary mp duties to do. Ratons are abundant,
suffers are plenty, and for the present, we mean
to have good comfortable time
By some, in speaking Of going into winter
quarters to remain inactive for time, il is men.
toned as something repulsiva to the incinations
Of the soldiers, they preierring the excitement OF
marching and fighting, to the dull monotony OF
camp life. My experience, so hr as it goes,
proves quite the contrary. should have but
little fear Of making mis-statement, il | should
say that scarcely anything is more acceptable to
troops that have roughed it all summer, than
to be allowed TO putup their quarters for winter,
and prepare for good long rest Perhaps SOL
dsrs think o home more when idle, but doubt
il they suffer any more from homesickness Ii
they doit is because that during tedious cam.
paign, homesckness is drowred by trials more
's,ern and severe.
Reenlisting here goes bravey on. The Fifth
regiment left for home last Monday. They 90
asa body. bear that they met with serious
accident on the cars between here and Aexan-
bria, whereby three were killed and several
injured, but perhaps it may not prove true. The
re.enlisted men from the sly til regiment, except
one company that goes as a whole, started this
morning. The other regiments are waiting for
the paymaster that they may settle with the Gov.
eminent for their old term, to commence again
anew, and then they will be ready to start too.
This regiment will turn out about hundred
veterans" the nobsst aud best the country ai-
fords. Cos. Il and will produce fifteen each
c produces thirteen, and the other companies a
still less number, but all are represented. The
furloughs were made out for the "yeterans ia
this regiment day before yesterday, and those
that preferred going home them to waiting fol
their pay, had that privilege, and quite number
accepted it. The majority however, are nov
waiting for the diatory paymaster, who is at work
OF the present time in the other brigade paying
off the veterans there. The furloughs are fol
,hiny.fve days, and this must cover all the tim,
that the soldier is away from camp. They ar,
not dated till The soldier that receives them START
for home.
The question about moving back across th,
Rappshanuock, SO generally talked abou. few
days ago, seems TO have been decided iu favor o
our staying here. |, was decided in council 30 Il
do, as am told. All were in favor Of moving
back to Wanonton, except Gen. Sedgwick. Il
was bis opinion that we had better remain her,
for the present, perhaps all winter. Ills rsasOn
were, that Il we wished to make move |. oouls