Year: 1861




CAMp LYoN, Md, Aug. 10Th, 1861.


Enron OF FREEMAN As we have changed
our quarters. thought would apprise our
friends of the fact Our boys were thrown into
A state of rejoicing last week Mon-ay. on hear
ing an order for the Second Vermont to move
to this plaee and Join the Third Regiment, un-
der Gen. Smith We arrived last Tuesday, aud
the time since has been spent, when at leisure,
by the men in visiting back and forth with their
friends Of the Third. We are highly pleased
with zen. Smith. lie is, think, a rigid dis
ciplinarian, but he enlorees it in gentlemanly
and not in an insulting way We all court
good discipline, but we detest insulting severity
One thing in the arrangements OF Gen. Smith
has gained him the good will OF our men OF the
Second. We have heretofore been confined in
cur camp as close as if q prison wall surrounded
US. but on coming here, Gen. Smith ordered
that no sentry be kept between the Regiments
but only roul d the whole, This allows the
men to visit from Regiment to Regiment, when
NO, on duty, and is a very convenient and salts
factory arrangement Some commanders would
never have done this and hence the men would
have constantly violated the rules, and great
amount OF unnecessary trouble would have FOL
lowed All necessary regulations should, OF
course, be adopted, but am not much in favor
Of making arbitrary and oppressive rules and
regulations for the sole purpose OF having them
brokcn. am free 10 say that since the first
day or two titre has not been SO much passing
nom camp to camp, under this free privilege,
rs there would have been by stealing out ad
any restraint been placed on the men. II Is a
very great thing to know enough oil human ma
iure to know how to govern men by gentle
means rather than by arbitrary power arbltrari
ly applied.


We were expecting lew days Of comparative
rest here but this seems not to be the lot OF the
Vermont Second. We have been the advance
Regiment in some direction ever since we came
INTO the service, End think We always shall be.
There IS great apprehension of an attempt by
tho Rebels to cross the Potomac about fifteen
miles above here, at or above Great Falls, and
- force has been ordered up there. We did not
think, considering our hard usage ior the last
caw weeks. ani the fact that our men are get.
,inr ragged and shoes poor, that We had just
got here and our camp was not fully arranged,
that they ,ould send us there but last night
our Reriuent had orders to march this morning
all except the Guards, and the boys went to
work TO iix up Us well as they could, although
tbey did not Ieel Just right about it, consider.
inc that the Third and other Regiments around
ms have been lying idle here, comparatively
They got of tins morning at about four clock,
nnder Lieut.. Col. Smurard, accompanied by
Jour or fyc pieces Of artillery from Motifs bat
tory and some cavalry. ltrained here all last
nilht, and is raining in torrents to day, and we
are pitying the poor fellows who are ploddpg
thronoh the rain all day--a march OF fifteen
miles through this aecurscd Virginia aud Mary
land clay. But if they have good luck they
viii reach Great Falls about dark, aud those
not detailed as guard and picket guard will
have a chance to rest themselves on the wet
ground, without tent or rubber blanket. Pretty
5a1d fare for Vermont boys who have al
through life slept IN nice clean bed, with every
convenience and in many instances with every
luxury. But the boys OF the Third, thiak,
would have willingly taken their places. They
pitied them as they saw them start of in the
rain, and several said they wished they could