Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-07-19
Our lDar Correspondence.
A Soldiers Lstter--No. 66.
NEAR PETrRsBuRo, Va, July "a, lo6

EDITOR FRKEsAN Strange as it may seem,
the Vermont brigade Is enjoying comparative
quiet Just n9w. For the last twenty four hours,
We have had nothing % do but bring water Tx
up shades and endeavor to keep ourselves as cool
~ possible. The twenty four hours previous TO
that, We only marched about five miles, but in
that i've miles there were several cases OF sun
stroke, it being 50 extremely warm that march
ing was almost impossible. The report now Is,
that We are going to stay here several days to
recruit our wasted energies and prepare ourselves
for future emergencies
Last "Wednesday, We went out to the Peters
burg and Weldon railroad at the point about
ten miles from here, and tore up the track Tor
several miles This railroad Is the highway Tor
supplies from tie various points IN North Caro-
lima with the rebel capital through Peter sburg,
aud by spelling their communications here, We
eneclually cut them ofi from all that portion Of
the Coniederacy. There are three important
railroad lines that center in Petersburg, the
suffolk, Weldon, and Linchburg roads only one
OF which We have had entire control. We now
command the Weldon road also. We have now
only to destroy the Lynchburg road, when Pc
tersburg and Richmond will be completely IN
vested, aud must fall OF their own accord unless
they can raise the siege. In order to do that
they must come out and fight us in our own
position, which is exactly what we want to have
them do. There are all sorts OF ruInors IN re-
gard to our operations on the linehburg road,
and not knowing what is reliable, and what is
not will not venture to speak OF them. When
we started out Wednesday, 1t was reported that
our cavalry had gone out u perkersyllle, where
the western railroads from Richmond and Pc
tersburg unite, and that in coming back they
had encountered rebel force in their rear, which
made it necessary to call Tor the assistance VI
infantry forces. Our corps was the nearest, and
we were ordered out 10 Ream's or Lonesylle
Station for that purpose. We got there just at
night. There was no fighting except liule with
the skirmishers, am told that the Third Regl-
ment which advanced, lost three killed and one
wounded We were put In the skirmish line us
soon US VT got to the station and remained there
till after dark Thursday without getting sight
at a single rebel Our position was in thick
wood, aud all We could see or hear of what was
going on, was o thick cloud OF smoke coming
from the railroad In our rear or the olanking
Of railroad iron that was being destroyed.
We had begun to fix us up a very pretty sum
mer's camp before we were ordered out to 70
there. We had been there but two days, but
in that time we had made such transiorma-
tion in the looks of the ground, that doubt
if the squirrels or rabbits themselves that
abound here would have known the spot The
line was extended to the left, aud when We
moved on to it Monday moro unpromising
looking place for a camp seldom ever saw
There was now and then scattering pine tree
for shade, but the ground was covered priucipal
ly with low bushes and tangling briars through
which the ire had run, destroying every yestige o
green vegetation and leaving the ground covered
with ashes and black nasty SCOT. There seemeC
to be peculiar property IN this black dus
1, draw the suns heat, and while we waited io
all to get into their right position, it seemed lik
being tortured in red hot oven. But there wa
no doising our destiny. The line had been lai'
out, AMI the portion Of it assigned to us wa
right there, aad there W. must make our camp
though an Edon's Garden might have beel
found little to one side. We went TO worI
with will, cleaned oa the ground and put u
our tents From the ruins Of house, OF rathe