Year: 1865

BURLINGTON. VI, July 20, 1865.


EDITOR FREEaAS Long before this letter
reaches you, it will doubtless have become
known that the Second Regiment has at last been
mustered out Of the United States, and arrived
in the State Of Vermont, We arrived here at
Burlington yesterday morning The Seven
teenth, Fourth and Second Regiments are here
now at this present writing waiting to be paid
of and discharged, after which they will dis.
perse to their several homes


We left our camp in Virginia Sunday morn
ing, but it was not until nearly night that
day that We started on the cars from Washing.
ton About noon the next day the regiment
arrived at Philadelphia, and were treated to
another excellent meal at the Union Volunteer
Reireshment Saloon,-a place that many SOL
der will long hold in grateful remembrance.
The boys think there is no place for soldier
like Philadelphia, and indeed We have good
reason to think 80, for their hospitality has
often entertained us, and there IS nothing IN the
world that will make q hungry man 80 grateful
as to give him good dinner. As our trans
portatlou is never furnished US by the Govern
ment between New York and Washington, only
on rickety cars fit Tor nothing else only to carry
soldiers, and as We are almost always at least
forty.eight hours getting over the distance
between these two cities we are usually tired
enough and hungry when we got to Philadel-
phia, going either way, to appreciate to the
fullest extent, the kindness Of the ladies and
gentlemen who have, during oil this war, con-
trbuted 80 bounulully for the comfort Of sol
ders passing through there. Besides the table
spread for US, there is glorious place for the
men, sweaty aud dirty as they have become
riding in those close, dusty cars. to wash them
selves, which is of itself a treat of no small
consequence to soldier. The pure Schuylkill
water which spouis from the sides OF long
horizontal pipe in scores of cooling streams,
would almost inspire man with an appetite
when everything else had tailed, If mans ap-
petite needed any such inspiration, which, how
ever, in that place is seldom ever the case. |
saw on a card they gave US, the statement that
their committee had furnished seven hundred
and fifty thousand meals to the soldier through
the liberalty Of the citizens Of Philadelphia,
without any help whatever from the City,
State or General Government. They have also
a hospital to receive any sick or wounded SOL
der who may get so far on his Journey and be
unable to proceed further. They clam it to be
the first one of the kind established in the coun-
try. From $4,000 to 20 900 have had their
wounds dressed there, when otherwise they
would have been thrown helpless among strang.
eH They also make 1t part OF their duty to
are for aud obtain employ pcut for refugees aud
freedmen when they come among them.


Their work there is about DONE They have
fulfilled their benevolent purpose during this
long war, without slackeniog their hands Tor an
instant No regiment has ever been sent empty
away, and their arrangements have been SO com
plete that no regiment has had to wait for their
refreshments, but On the contrary, they always
touno tue ttltthumehts tudul tud NdltluS lVl
them. They had only to telegraph forward that
they were coming, aud Nc. Brown, the bead
man Of the committee, would announce the iao
to the rest by firing big gun which they have
IN position there for that purpose, aud which It
used as signal to commence preparing mea
at any hour in the day or night. Iae oountr!
is full OF just such benevolent institutions
though perhaps there are mono OF this kin'
placed waere they have had such au opportunlt,
of aiding and feeding 50 many as this at Phlla
delphia. Americans may well be proud OF thei
nation when the common people will show
spirit like this through a long relentless war


We left Philadelphia Monday afternoon, an
early Wednesday morning, July 10, had til
pleasure of finding ourselves in the city of Bur
linglon, in our own native State. We arrive
here, so they told us, two hours before we wer
expected, but they were not long in finding gu


hat we had come. The band escorted US up