Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-08-05
From the 39th Colored Reg't.
CAMP Both u. S. CoLoRED TRooPs, }
LIST Brig. 4th Div. 9th Army Corps, :
Front Of Petersburg, July %.


of leisure, think / will devote it to Civ
; ing my friends in Orleans county SOM
idea Of "coIored liie," which / have beer
leading since the first of last April.
Time and space will not allow me t.
give a detailed account of all our march
es and counter.marches from the tmC
that we left Camp Birney at Baltimore
Nd, to the present time, where | fine
myself front of Petersburg, Va, and Sc
near the 'Johnnies' that the detestablt
minnie balls go whizzing past and scream
ing shells burst over our heads, to the
decided discontinue Of US all. We are
not in the front line, but are employed in
doing fatigue work required at the trent.
Very heavy works are now being con
structed, and the light of each morning
shows the astonished 'rebs' some new
battery, ready at given signal to open
with shot and shell upon rebel doomed
city of Petersburg, We have mortars
and 64>pound gun batteries within 1000
yards Of the city that never yet have
fired a shot, and presume they will not
until we make our grand ASSAULT which
will be one of these days, or nights, when
Gen. Grant gets ready.
| would not have any one think that
we are doing all the heavy work, or that
our neighbors are for one moment idle.
No; they have long line of works ex-
tending to the right and left as far as the
eye can reach, and have something be-
bind them, too, as j we'll know from my
yesterdays experience; was out to the
front with about so men throwing up a
covered way to screen men from view
who were moving in to the front lines
The rebels could not drive US away-so
they tossed over some mortar shells
which did no harm, only made the boys
get all dirt throwing themselves into the
ditch and might add, there was a GER
tain pair of shoulder straps went low,
and would have gone still lower if posi-
bic.
just now all seems quiet, bat within
ten minutes some sharpshooter May see
head and discharge bis piece then an
other will reply-then dozen--then al
whole battalion viii rise up and fire.
That is provocation enough for one or
two batteries to open; then mortar shells
go circling through the air from both
lines, which has cooling effect, as they
are most destructive and send the men
into their holes. All is again quiet, and
judging from the present, you would NOT
think that, two hours ago, lead and iror
were whizzing, whistling, screeching
and bursting in every conceivable way
among our ranks. Thus we spend our
time, lodging shells and making the reb-
els dodge. Once in while a man
lodges too quick or two slow, and that
makes it bad for him for if be gets in
the way he invariably gets hit Every
day some Of our men are killed while do
ing fatigue workout we do not hear
any murmuring, or detect any disposition
to shrink from duty.
OF the fighting quality of our division
| cannot speak, as we have never been
brought face to face with the enemy, but
have full confidence in them, as when
under fire they have always exhibited
true courage, not finching in the least
when duty demanded.
hreceived letter from @. T. Stiles
last week, He was then at Portsmouth
Grove Hospital, Il. l. He had nearly
recovered from his wound received at
Charlottesville, and l think he is now
with hislregiment. He has a commission
in Colored regiment-also a good pros.
pect for one in the 9th. He will, of
course, take commission in the old re,
giment rather than in the colored.-I
Capt. Daniel Mason is well and enjoying
lite, as he always had the faculty of do
ing. Dan and were little home sick
when we knew the 9th Corps had gone
TO Mary land, and we could not go with
them; but we are over that now, AS
we learn the corps is coming back, and
had no pleasurable trip to Washington
and back on crowded transports.
My captain has just been here and
says the I'd Corps, underIGen. Hancock,
and our cavalry, are on the north side of
the James and close to Richmond.
! hope all will prove true, but I do
not believe anything / hear now except
shells bursting or mimic balls whizzing.
| have some friends 10 Orleans county
that ! would like to hear from. Please
tell them to write. If any of the farm
ers want field hands letIthem apply to
me, as "when this cruel war is over"