Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-05-16
Corves6omdence.
n VERMONT sOLDIRR RRuysgTS
THE SOUTH.
AIKEN, S. C.,-1S79

fields, Prison Pens, &c, of Virginia and
South Carolina. Nothing worthy Of note
until / arrived at Baltimore, Md, and then
perhaps, only to one who has served in the
Union Army. In the evening, at the Ho-
tel, groups of men collect and talk over the
events of the day, condition of the country,
&c. invariably their conversation ended
in cursing the U. s. If anybody had failed
in this or that, it was because the South
had failed to establish their independence,
military rule at the South, oppression, &c.
In answer to an inquiry as to whom the
blame rested on for the present state of
things-they claimed that they had right
to secede that the North had no right to
interfere; but when questioned as to their
right to fire on the old Flag (stars and
stripes) they admitted that they made the
grand mistake of the whole war, in firing
the first gun, in hosting a new Flag, (Stars
and Bars &c; said that Stevens advised
them to adopt the U. S. flag. This class 10
whom refer are mostly from the valley
and other parts of Virginia, who come TO
the Baltimore markets. Think the cit-
zens or those who did not serve in the
NeDtl hTuiy are Sldi tuo w di euutu AS IL
did. Stopped one night at the Capital.
Washington has changed greatly for the
better since our return from the War; eX-
tensive improv are being made in
the way of widening and extending Ave-
nues and Streets through and across the
city. 1t was no. exactly "all quiet on the
Potomac" considerable firing going on on
the Virginia side, but there is a vast diff
ference between being shot at and seeing
ducks shot. The road from Acquia Greek
runs through lonely, desolate region of
swamp and Pine lands to and beyond
ricksburg.-At the latter place we
halted-I got off; found some right smart
Johnnes ex-Rebels) staring at the train.
They recognized me at once, as a Yankee
An officer who served in the 3rd Virginia
Battery pointed out the Rebel position held
at the great battle. The old red earthworks
remain just as they were left; old logs and
stones can be seen on either side of the
Rappahannock, where Burnsde's Pom
toon Bridges were laid. AS looked down
upon the muddy Rappahannock could
hardly realize that ever such terrible fight
| ing occurred as did few years ago. All
| around seemed like dream. Just then
| the whistle sounded-noticed con iederates
| splitting large quantities of tobacco juice.
| One of them said something about our
Pickets exchanging coffee for tobacco dur
the war; suppose he thought would offer
| him a chew, but as did not use the weed
| 1 had nothing to offer. Bade my friends
who caused the "lttle unpleasantness"
| from 1861 to 1865, goodbye and was soon
! looking hard for more red earhworks and
pine trees. AS the train flew along, on our
left we passed the battle fields of the "Sev-
| en- DAYS Fight, "Cold Harbor," and on the
right that of the terrible struggle in the
| Wilderness. Arrived in Richmond early
in the evening, secured quarters at the
Ballard House, and sat up nearly half the
night watching large fire which was rag
ing in the same block, wondering why the
ex- confederates didn't yell when they ran
| by with their engine; they got so used to
| it in the army it would have been very
easy to have kept it up through life, or at
| least every time they started off on the run;
perhaps they would al this time had they
known that yankee was looking down
|
of interest before left. The Water Works,
JEFF Davis mansion, State House and Gem
etery, lin the latter is a monster granite
monument erected to the memory of the
Rebel dead,) and lastly Belle Isle and Lib
by prisons. To all the places named be-
fore the latter, had gentleman friend TO
show ME around, but old Libby prison I
| fnupH olopa 10 hnt Cornx
and the Canal the old sign, Qetters very
dim,) still hangs, that hung during the
war, simply Libby Prison." The lower
floor was used as a dead house. As soon
as Union soldier died, his body was
thrown in there TO remain till several 9TH
ers were added, and then carried out some
where and buried twas hard look ing
| place. The next floor on Carey street, and
two above were the rooms where our boys
endured such terrible suffering, and where
so many died. A Mr. Lewis, to whom l
feel greatly indebted, kindly offered to
show me over the buildings. He inform
ed me that some time since, they had been
obliged to refuse admittance TO all persons
calling, as relic hunters would soon take
the building away in chips. The floors
| have not been swept since our poor boys
left the wbitewashed bricks are literally
covered with the names of soldiers con-
fined there. think l am safe in saying
the number would exceed three thousand,
all written with lead pencil, or carved out
with jackkniie. 1 would have given
something for one OF those bricks. In the
| doorway, upper rooms) can be seen the
holes made by the bayonets in the hands
| of Rebel guards, to prevent our boys from
getting too near the fresh air; iron bars or
rods in tho windows still remain, some of
them bent apart by prisoners, enough to
allow them to get breath when the guards
were not looking. Thus far / had found
nothing which could bring away, when
remembered of some one speaking to me
about cutting out on one of the floors a
check er- board with their iackknife this
hunted for. Mr.. Lewis procured broom;
we swept the floor and found it, the lines
as plain as when cut, eight or ten years
ago. The more looked at that board the
more l wanted it, and l finally mustered
courage to ask for chip. Mr.. l.. consent
cd. Down stairs we armed ourselves with
an augur, chisel, and two saws. Mr.. Lewis
remarked that he was granting me favor
that he had never before allowed. 1t took
but short time to bore hole at one cor
ner of the checker board in order TO get a
good "chip," the next hole l started at the
opposite corner of the board in short, the
result of that carpenters job is that l have
that whole checker r-board In one piece
packed in my trunk, and on my return
shall present the same to Post $780, G. A. r.
Since my arrival have met large num-
bers from the North. am told by gen.