Year: 1861




CAMP LYON, Nd, Aug. 18th, 1861.


EDITOR 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 Monday on hear
ing an order for the Second Vermont to move
to this place and join the Third Regiment un-
der Gen. Smith. We arrived last Tuesday, and
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. He is, think, rigid dis
ciplinarian, but he enforces it in gentlemanly
and not in an insulting way. We all court
good discipline, but wed detest insulting severity.
One thing in the arrangements Of Gen. Smith
has gained him the good will of cur men Of the
! Second. We have heretofore been confined in
our 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 rouId the whole. This allows the
men to visit from Regiment to Regiment, when
not on duty, and is a very convenient and salts
factory arrang cement. Some commanders would
never have done this. and hence the men would
have constantly violated the rules, and a 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
broken am free TO say that since the first
day or two there has not been so much passing
| from camp to camp, under this free privilege
J as there would have been BY stealing out rad
any restraint been placed on the men. 1t is a
very great thing to know enough of human ns-
lure to know how to govern men by gentle
means rather than BY arbitrary power arbitrari-
ly applied.


We were expecting few days of comparative
rest here but this seems rot to be the lot OF the
Vermont Second. We have been the advance
Regiment in some direction ever since we came
into the service and think We always shall be.
There is great apprehension of an attempt by
the Rebels to cross the Potomac about fifteen
miles above here at or above Great Falls, and
a force has been ordered up there. We did not
think considering our hard usage for the last
few weeks, ana the fact that our men are get
ting ragged ard shoes poor, that we lad just
got here and our camp was not fully arranged.
that they would send Us there; but last night
our Regiment had orders to march this morning.
all except the Guards, and the boys went to
work to fix up as we'll as they could, although
they did not feel just right about it, consider
ing that the Third and other Regiments around
US have been lying idle here, comparatively
They got off this morning at about four clock.
under Lieut. Col. Stannard, accompanied by
four or five pieces Of artillery from Motifs bat
terry and some cavalry. 1t rained here all last
night, and is raining in torrents to-day. and we
are ptying the poor fellows who are ploddlng
through the rain all day-a march OF fifteen
miles through this cccursed Virginia and Mary
land clay. But if they have good luck they
will reach Great Falls about dark and those
not detailed as guard and picket guard Will
have chance to rest themselves on the wet
ground without tent or rubber blanket. Pretty
hard fare for Vermont boys who have al
through lie slept IN nice clean bed, with every
convenience, ard in many instances with every
luxury. But the boys OF the Third, | think.
would have willingly taken their places They
pitied them as they saw them start off in the
rain, and several said they wished they could
take their places, exhibiting that sympathy nat
ural among our people. We lost our rubber
blankets at Bull run. and we have not yet been
supplied, although Mr.. Pitkin says they were
s,nt from New York early this month, but have
been delayed.


l am in camp with Company T, where we
remain till o clock tomorrow morning, when
our orders are to proceed with the Capital
Guards, and one piece of artillery. and de-
tachment of about twenty men from other Com
panies, aid two baggage wagons. up the river,
slowly. acting as a patrol, and examining al
accessible points and lords along the river, using
all necessary precautions against surprises, and
obtaining all the information possible as to the
movements of the enemy. Is is believed We
shall some Of US fall in with them, or discover
their movements in q day or two. Our business
is especially to do it If possible. Weare to send
boats across the river with sc-uts and reconnoi-
ire generally. " c have been busy all day get
ting ready TO move at day-break in the morn
ing. and am really in hopes it will stop rain
ing before we start


The boys of our Regiment, such as needed,
had new shoes and pants distributed to them be-
fore starting, SO they are more comfortable than
they expected 10 be, in this respect. We do
no; break up cur camp here, taking only a few
tents & spec al uses, ard leave the Band in care
of the rest; SO l suppose if we don't all get
killed up there, we shall come back sometime.
have just been admonished that there is an in
creasDg danger up along the river, and that es-
pecial care must be exercised. Well, we shall
not Lave a very heavy force. but they must be
crossing under very favorable circumstances, or
our little armament will annoy them some if we
should fall in with them. The written orders
are to defend the river and resist their cross
ing to the best of our ability" Now that au-
thorlzes US to do some fancy fighting if we have