Year: 1862

January y, 1867


Much has been said and written about
picketing. There is q certain novelty
about it that is not only interesting to those
out of the army, but it is so to those in it.
AS picketing is conducted very differently
from what it was few weeks ago, per-
haps it would be of some interest to the
friends of Vermont soldiers to know hoac
it is done. WI


Formerly, the picket duty was done by
few regiments, and among these few was
the Sd. Then they were stationed three
men in place, as much hidden from OBJ
servation as possible, and were not re-
lieved as now. Each brigade guards its
own front, that is, the line between them
and the enemy. 1t takes two hundred
men in the Vermont brigade to do its
picketing. These men are all taken from
one regiment, for twenty four hours and
as there are five regiments, it comes the
turn of each once in five days, and each
mans turn once in ten or fifteen days
They leave their camp at o'clock in the
morning, and first 60 to Gen. Brooks
quarters where they are inspected. They
then march to the man reSerUe, which is
half mile inside the outpost. Here
they are divided into two reliefs, and each
relief into three g supports" One hun
dred, or half of the whole, remain on the
main reserve, while the three supports"
90 to what are sometimes called the smaller
reserve. Here they are again divided, one
half to remain, while the other half goes
and relieves the outposts. The reserve
and outposts are so placed that they
can have fires and be concealed from
observation of those outside the lines.
The outpost have beat to walk, the
same as camp guard, which is eight or ten
rods in length. The line is zigzag SO as
to give the men a chance to see as far into
the enemy's country as possible without
giving the enemy chance to creep up
and shoot them off. They are relieved,
if in very cold weather, once in an hour;
if not very cold, once in two hours. Each
support is relieved from the main reserve
once in four hours, so that each man
stands guard only six hours in twenty
four. AT first thought, one would sup
pose that picketing is not very hard, but
when they consider there is no chance to
sleep, but have to sit or stand around a
large fire when not On duty, it is not
quite so pleasant.


For the last month it has rained, or
half rain and snow, for nearly or quite
half the time 1t is now the worst time
to travel ever saw even in the fields
it is so soft that it is difficult for q horse
to trot at q slow gallop. In the road,
about the reserves and camps, it is mud
over shoes So bad is it about our camp
that We have had to lay our company
rounds with poles. It's impossible to drill
except to 60 through the manual Of arms
on the company or parade grounds. Un-
.I.
der such circumstances pickcting is not
very desirable. To sit around a fire with
the rain pouring down, with mud six
inches deep, then to march two miles into
camp with blankets and clothes as wet as
if they had been thrown into brook, is
anything but agreeable. Yet it is all
! done with checrfulness, and the long hours
pass quickly away with singing songs,
telling stories, cracking jokes, &c Occa-
sionally a gun is fired, and if it is not
far off, all are attention until the cause is
asccrtained. Most generally it proves an
accidental shot, but it is not always o
harmless one, for it is often the case that
some poor fellow gets finger shot off or
ball through the hand.


Of late there has been considerable
firing southwark, and all wonder what it
can mean, especially when it is in the
night. Most of it has proved to be firing
on the Potomac between some rebel bat
terry and a ship or boat passing. \ e'4


An order has been lately issued by