Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-09-30
Our Armp Gorrfsponurnrr.
CoNsCaIPTs LETTER NO. u.


September Is.
Mr. Editor After oscillating backwards
and forwards between Washington and Har-
per's Ferry, and up and down the Shehsn-
doah valley, for the past two months. will
again attempt to renew my correspondence
with your paper. which | have failed to keep
up since left Fort Stevens. Our marches
have been hard, many Of them needlessly so.
] should judge. and conducted with an utter
disregard to our power Of endurance. As a
natural and inevitable consequence, men we're
overpowered with heat and exhaustion, often
tainted and sometimes fell out Of the ranks,
and died, while struggling became the order
OF the day. Strict orders were given for no
man TO leave the ranks, but to no purpose,
until, without relaxing the strlctness of the
order against struggling, regulations for Civ
ing the men rect at stated intervals, with
ample time for cooking and eating food, &c,
were adopted, and to some extent carried out.
an Maryland we were greeted with smiling
faces, and that sympathy was extended to US,
which must have had it's origin 10 real love
for the Union, and regard for its defenders,
though quickened, no doubt, by the realza-
ton Of the fact. that we were the protectors
of their own lives and property, from the
rHvages Of an invading enemy. This treat.
ment, so unlike the cool civility, or in con.
cesled dislike, which had been our experience
heretofore-was appreciated by the soldiers
and the officers mad no difficulty in enforcing
any orders against forsging Near Stssburg,
a portion Of the ID VT, who with details
from other regiments we're doing picket duty
for the first time since leaving Petersburg,
had brush with the enemy. Our line adj
vancing, the left wing swung around and
hanked the rebel pickets, who discharged
their pieces a few times, and then fell back.
A few were wounded on our side On the
2lst Of August, while lying near Charleston,
we were surprised by an advance Of the rebel
sktnisbers upon our picket line. The %
division was ordered out to their support
and sharp diminishing continued with little in
PERMISSION through the day. In the left Of th,
ground occupied by the I'd Vt. was largt
dwelling house from which our sharpshooter
annoyed the enemy and soon drew shell from
their batteries. The first shell which strucl
hit the chimney, throwing up cloud Of bricl
dust Others exploded in the yard, the ffag
ments striking the house, and few passe,
directly through il. One exploding inside in
stunuy killed two men. The soldiers mani
tested no disposition 20 leave their position
and hole would hardly be made in the sid
ui the house by a shell before one or NOR
muskets would portrude and answer back a
gain with a death-dealing fire. After dark W
drew back as quietly as possible, reached tn
heights near Harper's Ferry the next mornin
where breastworks and other deieuces wei
thrown up. and we remained until the 2Stl
Then we advanced again, marched throug
that strong seoesh town, Charlestown, to tn
tune Of Old John Brown" whose choru
Of " Glory Glory Hallelujah his soul
marching on" must have been refreshing t
the citizens. We encamped about mile be
yond, where we remained until the 80 Of th
present mon'h and then advanced to the cam
we now occupy. Day before yesterday, tn
l3sb. the % division of the 9th corps. i
connection with a division from the 18Th, ais
one from the 9Th, made recoisssnce, advsnc
ing to the Opequan creek. The result wa
tue discovery of the enemy in sufficient fore
tn mold us, the loss of few men, and tn
capture Of the Sth Georgia regiment number
my over two hundred men. The weather
nov cooler, with frequent showers of rair
The health of the regiment is good, and it
numerical strength daily increasing from tn
accession of recruits, and the return of cor
valescents from the hospitals.
CoNsORIPT.