Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-01-29
Letter from a Sharpshooter.
Convalescent Camp, near Alex !
andria. Va. Jan, Dist. 1864

andrla, va, Jan. Zlst, 1864.
Friend Earle AS have arrived at
ConYalescent Camp, and don't know
when ! shall join my regiment, perhaps
few lines about my journey might be
interesting.
When waived you an adieu, as pas
sed your office, l little thought should
I in Virginia so soon, but here am.
| arrived at Burlington at two o'clock.
Tuesday afternoon, and Wednesday at
two o'clock we got on board the cars for
n. T., but the train was delayed in many
places on the way, and we did no. get
any farther than Troy that night. We
arrived at Troy at ten o'clock. They
would not feed US nor give US place to
sleep, SO we wandered about the city till
one o'clock, and finally had to buy our
own supper or 60 hungry, thing ayol-
der does not like to do when be has mon
ey in his pocket, we went into saloon
and got supper. They charged us thir-
ty-eight cents for few slices of cold fur.
key and ten cents for cup of Coffee
We were hungry, and you may imagine
that our bill was not very light. Some
of us slept on the floor, in with some re.
cruits. They were so noisy that we did
no sleep much, but the rest of the boys,
about six or eight, went to the tavern.
In the morning the Corporal went to the
Mayor of the city, and he took US all to
the Union House near the depot, and
gave US our breakfast. AT eight o'clock.
we babe adieu to Troy, hoping that va
should never be obliged to stop there over
night again.
Ga the cars | met many strong Lin
coin men, some for Butler, aud some for
Grant. Each wanted his man for the
next President. | had a long talk with
a German doctor and Hungarian stu
dent. The doctor was for Butler, the
student for Grant, and your humble SER
want for Father Abraham. But change
OF cars broke up our conversation, each
hoping to meet again when we arrived
in N. Y, At four o'clock we went on
board the steamer for Bedloe's Island,
arrived there at FIVE, dined on soldiers
fare, and Saturday at twelve we went on
board the steamship Thames, bound for
Alexandria, via. Fortress Monroe. We
had very pleasant voyage to Fortre 8
Monroe, with few exceptions. Our
fare was very poor, and about $50 Of us
had to sleep in the hold of the vessel. 1t
was cold and damp, and we had no fire.
Sunday afternoon, the sea was quite rough
and come of Us were sea sick. We ar
rived st Fortress Monroe ct twelve Sun-
day night. The fog was 30 thick Mon
day morning that we could not leave the
harbor. We could not see twenty feet
from the vessel, but at daylight Tuesday
we weighed anchor and steamed across
the Chesapeake. We passed some twelve
vessels Of the Russian feet, carrying 20
guns each. The bay was very rough
The waves would occasionally break
over the deck, then we all got wet, but
at one O'Clock we entered the mouth of
the Potomac. At Point Lookout we
we're hailed by the guard, gunboat.-
They lowered boat and came on board.
II detained US about one boar, we then
passed up the Potomac to within eight
miles of Alexandria, and got stuck in the
ice and had to drop anchor till the tide
went out, and the ice went with il. 30 at
twelve o'clock at night we weighed am
chor and plowed through the ice to Alex
andria. AT daylight we got up, at ten
we got breakfast, and arrived here in
very good spirits, considering our fare.
To-day is inspection day, we had to clean
and brush up this morning, black our
boots, scour our buttons and look bright
as new. am in barrack 81, sitting on
a three story bunk. The Vermont boys
are all usually we'll here. 1t is dinner
time and | close, hoping that at some
other time may have something more
to write.
As ever, your friend,
KENT.