Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-01-26
Letter from the Eleventh Regiment
AETI.RBBEL
BATTERY L, FoRT foTTEE,

Washington ID. e., Jan. 10Th, 1854.
Mr.. EDIToR- Dear Sir: Two weeks ago to-
day We, squad Of about ITO, mostly Green
Mountain Boys arrived here from Brsttleboro
for the let Vermont artillery, located here within
two or three miles Of the city Of Washington,
and occupying forts SlOcum, Stevens Totten and
Slemmer. Having promised amongst ourselves
that some Of the incidents Of our journey should
be made public, aud being often mportuned to
write sketch Of it for publication, | will attempt
to do so.
We started from Brattlsboro by rail about 8
P. NJ Dec. 221, in cars well lighted and warmed !
arrived at New Haven abou! midnight where, af-
ter Standing on the pavement about an hour We
took steamboat for New York arrived in New
York at I o'clock next morning, (i3d0 marched
to the barracks and gotta good supper and din
ner, and after fsrrying over to Jersey city took
cars about sunset for Philadelphia rode till
midnight, herded in cars like volunteer soldiers
Il did not say cittle1 without fire or light. Arri
wing in Philadelphia at midnight, We made our
selves erirertIy comfortable sianding on the pdue
nlent full ttco hours, with the mercury down tC
10 deg. above zero, waiting for supper, which We
distinctly heard the manager Of the house to say
would have been ready il our officers had sen
him telegram that we we're coming, as /, Gus
tomary IN such cases.
However, We often hear it remarked that it il
no, military to be consistent. Therefore let it no
be said that the officers 10 charge Of US were un
military, Well, the good people Of the Coope
Shop soldier,' Saloon (Phiad,lphia) were arouse,
from their midnight slumber,, bu, the bskerie
and provision stores being all closed, and th
propreiors asleep in bed, it Unnecessarily took then
longer than usual to prepare meal for so man
hungry men. But when our supper did come,
wa. supper, end We had by that time shar
appetite, and a meal Of good bread, butter
bacon and coffee. By the time We had hniihe
our meal and marched to th. police station whsr
we quartersd for the rest Of the night, i. was
O'Clock, A. NJ, OF the 24ih. We slept in th
same quarters the two next nights, and got OF
meals, till the morning Of the 26lh, in the sau
place as at frst aud it is the concurrent ts,tim'
, ny Of all soldiers stopping at the Philadelph
Cooper Shop, that they are well fed aud kind
, treated while there. Owing to railroad bride
being burned on the usual and more direct rou
! we took the route by way Of Harrisburgh, f
Baltimore, at 10 o'clock, A. NJ, OF the 26tl
t Arrived in Harr,burgh at half past 6 in the ev
niug expecting ouI hungry ,iomachs would &
, some rasious, which, by the bye, We had not ha
since breakfast. Butno, that would be consistep
aud consistency, as above mentioned, lie not mi
tory. So after stopping an hour AID half {
the track, our cars moved ef for Baltimol
t with l7O suppcrlsn and diunsre. soldiers O
I board, in a cold winters night with the temper
turs at 10 deg, above zero, and without FIRE ar
, light. do other passengers ride in that way
0 On and on we rode through that long, dark, co
e night, though stopping often and waiting long
the track for other trains 10 pass, and running
n very slow rate.
t We watched snxiou,ly for Baltimore to hsa
a in sight, thinking that some soldiers home Ill
o the Philadelphia Cooper Shop nigh, kindly II
v ni,h us With shelter, food, and FIRE. But no o.
r military guard were not going to be inconsistent
d consistent, and after stepping out near BaltimO
g about sunrise, we marched-whero to the 81
# ders' Relief for breakfast No to freig
+ depot three miles, carrying our loads, where '
e remained till past noon, waiting two or thr
o hours on the papemeni-for what for dinner
II be prsparsdP Not yet, so soldiers OF the Uni
o army, can your childish wish for bread and me
o be gratifed. Did ys no, eat your 6ll yesterd
Il morning Get aboard the freight cars You "
10 have your next rstons in Washington. OF cour
y We arrived all in good order starved, exhaust
d and chilled through and through, every m
y with a severe cold and cough. But We are to
st tha, ii is unsoldierly to complain, as well as i
rs military to bs consistent, therefore W. did q
say that thi. needless abuse Of men on the "
" from their homes to the army, this entire n,
Sc sct of their health and comfort is a criminal a
is rascaly piece Of business that consistency is CT
ct sistenoy, that wrong is net right, or crue
a. kindness, in the army or out Of il aud that
i. officer is fit to command men unss, he has pr
ii, eiple enough about him to see that they
to provided for. But respectfully submitting to
H. authority under which we we're placed, We seer
ed ly resolved to do our thinking for some Ii
@, yet, and are still under the irresistible convict
of that man Is man whether he wears red u
ii, or not. 1t is due 10 Sergeant Gilman Of
hi regiment to say that he had US provided with I
I'M 6cient rations in Brattleboro to last US to Ph
he delphia at the rate we travelled.
an +. p. CHENEY,
II One Of hundred and seventy