Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-11-01
CHE trteman
A Soldiers Letter. No. IA.
HEADQUARTERS VERMONT BRIGADE,
NEAR CLIFTON FARM, Va, Sept. "A, 1864

say that all last summer but il is losing its nov
city now. Since the scorching drouth that SO
Ing ruled, has at last been broken, it has seemed
as i! every cloud was surch,rged with water,
and every one that has happened to float over
our heads almost, has sprinkled US more or less .
Trains so easy now, that as the Paddy said, ii
almost rains Itself" Since the month began We
hive bad some unusually hard showers, and some
pretty cool weather for this time Of year.
Yesterday the corps went out on reconnoier-
ing expedition to discover where the enemy were,
and send them our compliments. They were
found in force on the Opequan River, between
here aud Winchester. Our brigade acted as
sairmishers again, aud they drove the rebel pick
es and skirmi'hers into THAR position on the
o,1sr side Of the river. They kept up casual
fling all day, on the skirmsh line, on both sides
which, with little artillery duelIlng, was all the
fighting that was done. There was no casualties
IN the Second regiment, and but tSo or three in
The bugale, notwithstanding they were in the
very 'front.' and did, as usual, a ion 3 share OF the
fighting. At night the troops oil returned to
their clmTs.
ld0u know why it is that the Vermont Brigade
j. always used as ,krmishers, vaeA skirmishsrs
me needed, unless i, is because their skill and
courage in this peculiar work has been so often
proved, that they can better bo relied upon than
any other troops We oil know that it requires
raye and fearless daring, to m,ks good skir-
III her. Almost any man had rather stand in
t.o open l.l4 and fight, when be Anows whore
tsa enemy are, aud knows that he has an equal
calaee with th,m, than to pick Biz way along on
aaadysrcng skirmish line, Bhou, knowing when
be may receive a whole yolley from the enemy,
and liable aI the time to run upon liSs Of coz
csa.sd sharpshooters, or an ambush Of lurking
f5.s Shirmishers have to feel cut the enemy's
position, and are the fret 10 receive their fire.
On reconnaissance er anything Of that kind,
when we want to fnd out where the enemy are,
or what they are doing, or ROW strong they are,
sA.rmshers ore almost the only Gnes that have
any drlns TO Do. It requires peculiar courage 10 !
Tie men, and peculiar asgacily and courage in 7
tAe oiiiccrs, to do good skirmishing. always
feel uneasy when am on the skirmish line in
front Of the enemy, unless know that am being
hsrd.ed by saiu hands. We must not advance
upon a superior force OF the enemy and expose
ourselves necds"ly and We mus, not break our
connection with those on our right or leh or lose
cur d.r'clioR and get lost or eapturtd. 1, is for
Us more than for anybody else in the world, to
" be sure we are right, and then go shesd."
General Grant has the name, believe, cfbeng
the best General in the corps to manage skir-
msh i.se, snd everybody knows that he has th,
bss, troops 10 this corps or any Other to max,
skirmish line Of so of course, when Gen Shsri.
dan has difficult )b oi this kind to do, he
knows whom to call upon to do it, It will b.
remembered that it was the Vermont troops that
advanced The skirmish line at S,rasburg, the l4.b
Of August, and it was the Vermont Brigade that
was used again as skirmsh.rs on the LIST, in the
bltt,e near Charlestovu, where they did the prn.
e.pa part Of the lighting and suffered nearly all
the loss that was inflicted upon the whole army
that day. Again yesterday, il was the Vermont.
ers that explored the way up to the enemy's
works, and made i, safe for the rest Of the army
ia follow. 1t is Nermonters on all occasions OF
everywhere and all the time. With
O good General to lead, we can string out the
whole brigade Of US, in line five feet apart OF
ten II lhey wsnti and advance straight ahead !
without pulling apar, here, or crosding together
there, keeping straight line and going straight a
ahead, until we come upon the enemy's works, q
and find out all we wish 10 know, aud then we /
''n turn about aud 60 back again without having Z
man captured, and II it is in the night, without
letting the enemy know when it is done, or get b
ting lost ourselves. don't know but other o
troops can do this business as we'll as we can, but Q
dom. believe it, or else why should they be so e
Shy in trying their luck at doing it. Let them !
Droys their right to boast, and we will freely ae. .
it. We make no secret Of the pride t
We feelin our acknowledged worth, and the coed ?
name we have won. But it seems to me to be
poor return for yalor, that the best troops should
Gl,ooys have the hardest work to do.
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2lst-Well, Mn. EDITOR, !,
commenced my letter more than week ago, ;,
but find that have not finished it yet. Indeed, +.
have really had no tins. BY making several .
S1edIton', securing the county for forage, by ;,
ending two or three days assistance to the clerks
N the Adjuant Generals Office, by marching and :
Standing guard, have found full occupation for ;.
III Of my spare moments. But to-day as the
m advance Of our line, and perhaps engage the :
.ncmy, and few Of US are left back at headquar-
er', in these quiet woods to guard the baggage !,
nd bring i forward at night il needed, have :,
u opportunity to finish my very important letter, :
nd am determined to improve /, at all hazards,
bough it Ray be week, and perhaps longer, be- =
lore shall have chance to send it to you.
OF course you will have heard before this letter
caches YOU Of our fight near Winchester, how :.
sc whipped and routed the rebels, drove them
,ell nell through the city, and followed them clear
lere to SIrasburg, peting them all the way. 1t
Ha' glorious victory, but no share OF the glory .
belongs to your correspondent however, for he
,asn I Ia the Gght. lie was back about two miles
o The rear, near the opequan Rver,vth the train :
n IA place perfectly safe. We could hear the
iollcy' Of mu'ketry Grng quite distinctly, and by
going up through long piece Of woods, we could /.