The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1891-08-07
Tentin6 on The Old Camp Ground
Or %. q. 10th VI. Vols. to the Front.
Bv Lieut.. 4. II. WHITE.
MO n.

0 post, over the barrel OF my musket
/ asked who they were. At first bott
sides We're very distrustful and afrait
10 talk but, a few questions asked il
a round about way, brought out the
fact that both sides Of this particular
controversy We're members Of the 10th
Vermont When directed one of the
four came to the toe-path and gave the
cOuntersign, which was not only cor.
rect, but ! new personally the one who
gave it.
Now that all was understood, my
own men who were in the rear came
up, and also two more men from pos
6. From them we learned that the
Cavalry, that had just crossed were a
regiment from Rhode Island and had
been scouting through London County,
Va. The scout who pilOted them was
man by the name Of Hadlock, and
he had brother in our company.
The pickets on No. 6 had been told
that all pickets below their post had
been taken of, so as a matter Of course
regiment of cavalry crossing below
and coming directly up the toe-path,
gave them a severe scare. One of
their number placed himself behind a
cree and ventured to challenge them,
and when they came to halt, and one
of their number advanced and gave the
proper countersign, they were all great
ly relieved.
We learned from those pickets that
a portion or our own regiment, under
command of Maj. Henry, were still at
Seneca, SO we moved forward to that
point. Thinking the first order might
have been cOuntermanded, reported
to the Major for orders. He informed
me that the order had not been recall
ed, and that 1 should obey the order
issued in the morning. Here we also
found the cavalry regiment that had
given us such scare. Scout Hadlock
had made the discovery that the troops
under Maj. Henry were part of the
10th Vermont. On this occasion his
brother was one of our nine, and they
were soon together. We remained
here half an hour longer, that they
might have more time to visit, and
then resumed our march. 1t was an
all night march, and we did not find
the Company until seven o'clock the
next morning. This was our first
night march, and we reached the Com
pany at seven O'Clock in the morning
very tired and hungry.
When breakfast was over the first
thing to be thought of was to find a
shade, and spread our blankets for
much needed rest, and it was well that
we improved the time, as five o'clock
again found us on the march, and at
eleven that night we were back at the
old camp at Seneca.
AS a matter of course the rank and
file are never in the secret and have
little idea Of the necessity of such
so in this case the boys were
reminded of the gay "Napolean with
fifty thousand men marched up hill
and then marched down again."
Soon after this affair a camp was
laid out in regular order, and the men
told to build winter quarters, Logs |
were split and laid up to the height Of |
about FIVE feet, and then covered with
shelter tents. In some cases Replaces |
were built and the men occupying such
tents were quite comfortable. The
fall rains made plenty of stickey mud
and those without floors or fires in
their tents suffered severely.
On the high bluff in the rear of our
camp was fine plantation owned by
A man named Vincent. He was known
to be in sympathy with the rebels, and
mad at one time been confined at Fort
for treason. but finally set at
liberty. Some of the boys from the
regiment went in the night and strip
I'd the boards from the fences, and by
daylight the next morning had COM
Portable floors in their tents. Vincent
was highly indignant, and lost no time
n reporting the affair to Col. Jewett.
The Col. asked if he could identify the
lumber if it could be found. Vincent
vas confident that he could, SO the
Col. took him at once on a tour of
through the regiment.
hink they found new floors in D or F
md Vincent at once laid claim to the
lumber. He was asked if he could
swear positively that that lumber came
from his place. He informed the Col.
hat he could, when the Col. remark
ID rather dryly 'the boys must have
to keep themselves out of
he mud, and 1 don't know as they
hey have cent of money" Mr.. Vim
,ent returned home both sadder and
wiser than when he came.
Sickness invaded our camp and
very day TWO to four hundred would
lttend sick call from the regiment.
Many of these brave boys were not
lble to walk, and should have been
indy cared for in their tents, or at
he hospital. Every day the muffled
lrum was heard the last volleys were
ired over the grave of some comrade
rom the regiment. When night had
,ut stopto the work five or six of the
,rave boys haG been laid to rest, in the
title plot south of camp; but up to
his time "grim death" had not invad-
ID the ranks of Co. G..
North of camp was an open field
where the regiment was drilled in the
movements of the company and bat
allion. Here one afternoon Gen.
Grover reviewed the regiment, and
hiding several sick men in the ranks,
ook occasion to rebuke the officers for
rdering men out for drill who were