Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-02-21
A Soldiers Letter. No. 81.
SIxrH CoRPs HospITkL,

out Vi ur seep suddenly about ten clock, Jus
awe hdu larry commenced cur slumbers, no
by DO alarm Oh picket, nor BY the order /" TAI
in, bdt 'e provide places for more sick men
who were eomin6 IN from the front. Tire,
hundred PATIENTS for Our Corps Hospital the,
ssid would be mere, some Of whom we're alread,
on the ground, aud tho poor fellows must hay,
quarters somewhere. Every man was wanteo
to help, aud every maa was willing to lend b
helplag hand IN such a case, and sll that wor,
atie dad. Ihe guards we're relieved from then
posts Tor the time bping, ard j1lned with th,
rest u assist. ia hands worked with will,
for sick and wounded men must moi stand snc
saiI-r Tor want OF quarters il anything. VI
could do would prevent IT,
Tns FIRST thing We did was to clear out a long
birrack that had been used for carpenter
shop. |. was full Of benches, window castings
dJ1r-iralnes, and half made bunks, besides d
large quantity Of pine boards stored away in
there, winch had 20 be all carried out. All this
stoH was sjon IN motion towards the door, and
what cOulda't get out at the door, was handed
through the windows into the street. The boys
worked lively, tor it was work Of mercy, and
we soon had the barrack cleared out The next
thing was 10 place the beds in there. Away we
went to the storehouse iOr the iron framed bed
steads, such as are used in all of our hospitals,
and soon We had two rows Of them, one along
each eide Of the barracks Now the ticks must
be flied with straw which is kept for that pur-
pose al a shanty near by, which done, we have
accomplished our part towards preparing accom-.
modations for about fifty men. Blankets and
sheets must be furnished, and the beds must be
male, but the stewards, ward-masters, and
nurses will take care Of that. Other squads
were doing IN other places what we had been
doing there bat stlll we hadn' made provisions
for all that were coming. One room in the
slight diet kitchen = had to be appropriated
for this use, and here we made beds for eighteen
more. At last all we're provided fer, and our
work for the night was done. II was after
twelve O'Clock, aud the boys thought they de-
served q" treat. IL wasn't whisky nor gin
they said they wanted, but substantial bread
IN coffee, But we don't draw our own rations
here, and have no control over them, except 20
them when they are cooked and placed on q
table before us We went to the cook bot he
had no authority to give US an extra ration we
weot 10 the stew ard but he appeared TO have no
inclination 70 do 50, 50 we had to go to our
quarters minus our treat Over in the Fifth
Corps they appeared 10 be les, prepared for this
sudden arrival Of sick men thau we were. They
had to put up again some OF the tents they had
taken down, 10 send away and give place to the
stockades or barracks that are being buit all
around here. They were busy long whis
after We bad gone to cur quarters. and lanterns
were Hitting about to and fro, nearly all night
The reason Of this delugs Of sick men was in
conseq lense Of an order at the front to move,
and the SICK had all to be sent away. The 2ad,
5th and 9Th corps we're under orders to move
day before yesterday morning. They drew five
days ratious, and were ordered TO have eyeiything
packed up ready to march Nobody knew where
they we're going, though rs usual there Is
multitude OF rumors about IT, Some thought
they we're going out to try and possess the
Sou hsids railroad ,some thought they we're going
down IN c. iperate with Gen. Sherman, aud
oihers thought 1t was only to prevent Lee from
sendiog away troops to opp ,se Sherman s march.
Whatever may have been the plan il has b en-
found unnecessary or iLexped'ent to execute i,
up to the latest accounts, and the troops still re-
main IN their odd quarters. These sick will, a
large share OF them, be cent Immediately swav
to general hospitals at Warrington, Baltimore,
or some other place Some OF the worst cases
will doubtless find their way to their native
state. The order to move will be lucky thing
for such
These sick men coming and going has added
new activity to the business OF the hospital tor
the tine being, but otherwise 1t is as dull as il
usually is 10 our hospitals generally. New.
items are always scarce here. Day bsfore yes.
terday though, WON IN called at the ofhcs and
inquired for the name OF her brother. Surgeon
Elliott looked over his books but couldn find it,
At length he found it among the names Of the
dad, aud he died bat the day before The poor
woman was boisterous in her grief, when she
founi after so much trouble in getting here, she
was too late to see her brother alive, and could
only know that he was buried forever ou. of her
sight.
There was another execution a week ago.
Private Newell IL. Root. alias George Harris of
the lst Conn. Heavy Artillery, was hung for
desertlng 10 the enemy. He left bis regiment
at Datch Gap last summer, and gave himself up
to the enemy as deserter from the Union armv
According to an order issued by the enemy TO
encourage deserting from our army, be was sen,
TO Kentucky, where he found his way TO our
lines. Tnero were other deserters with him,
aud one or two bona iiie prisoner. OF war, who
had adroliy managed to get mixed in with them
aud sent here too. OF course as soon q, they
found Uoion ulen they all claimed to be wonder.
fully deserving OF charity and sympathy, either
as dssertors from the rebel army, or as long sul-
'sr'ns much abused prisoners Of war, Just es.
oapei from rebel tyranny worse than the grave.
as tue story was told me those who were actual.
" suuifing prisoners Of war, were indignant to
see 1'dne's and charity thus posed upon BY
class oil men the most uOprincipled in all the
".t'o' ana as son as they had a chance they