Green Mountain Freeman

Our War Correspondence.

From the Thirteenth Vermont Regiment.

Camp Carrusi, May 19.

Co. H, 13th Vt., Vol. Militia.

Friend Freeman—The Thirteenth are still at their last camp, and the weather being very pleasant, the boys are enjoying themselves as only soldiers can. Sunday was a beautiful day, and according to former orders we were inspected and reviewed by Capt. Hill, acting Adjutant General on Gen. Stannard's staff.

Col. Randall has been somewhat sick, but with care we are in hopes he will soon be convalescent and be with us again. In his absence the command of the regiment devolves upon Lieut. Col. Munson, formerly Captain of Co. D. Lieut. J. S. Peck of Co. I, is Adjutant.

The rebels have paid us a visit in the shape of a raid. Last Thursday the regiment teams were proceeding, as usual, along the road to Fairfax Station, for rations, and when about four miles from camp, they were suddenly ordered to halt, by a party of eight men armed with pistols, who claimed to belong to the 4th Virginia cavalry. Our teamsters being threatened with the loss of their brains, as well as horses and mules, wisely preferred to surrender. Twelve mules and a few horses were taken, together with three teamsters, and three sergeants from Cos. G, B, and K. They were taken to Brentsville, some thirty miles distant, and there paroled. They returned to camp the next day. Since we have lost our teams, the boys have been bringing in horses until the complement is about made up, and we again have the usual number. A guard is now sent with them each day for their protection.

A sad accident occurred in Co. D, on Friday. Sergeant Denison was accidentally shot in the forehead by a pistol in the hands of Lieut. Bassom, who was mounting his horse to ride out. The ball glanced upwards producing a flesh wound, from which he will undoubtedly recover.

I have to report on the sick list in Co. H, Sergeant McKnight, Moore, drummer, Kimball, Ainsworth, Pierce, Drugg, Mabrey.

Since my last we have lost by typhoid fever and hemorrhage of the lungs, John K. Dow of Co. H, who died in the Camp Hospital about five and one-half o'clock in the afternoon of Saturday the 16th inst. His friends were telegraphed, and his body forwarded on Sunday to his home in Cabot, Vt. He was a good soldier, and always ready and willing, when duty called him; and in him the company lose a kind friend, and an agreeable companion. His friends and parents will miss him; his company will also miss his presence in the ranks: but let those at home who loved him—as well as we who respected him here—remember that he died at the post of duty, and his life was sacrificed to a noble cause. Peace to his memory.

SERGEANT G. COLL.

Interesting Letter from a Soldier in Mississippi.

The following are extracts from a private letter written by a soldier in Gen. McArthur's division of Gen. Grant's army. The letter is dated Lake Providence, La., April 16.

... Last week we received a visit from Gen. Thomas, Adjutant General of the United States army. He came to enunciate and put in practice the avowed policy of the Government in regard to arming the negroes. The troops of this division assembled at Gen. McArthur's headquarters, where Gen. Thomas made us a speech. He came to authorize the raising of negro regiments, and to issue commissions to the officers of the regiments. The Commissioned officers are to be all white men. We also heard speeches from Gens. McArthur and McPherson and a few others; it was a very enthusiastic meeting, and it reminded me of the times when I used to attend political meetings and hear stump speeches. Three colored regiments are being raised at this point. Their ranks are filling rapidly.—There have already been over twenty regiments organized in this State, and they will soon be full, and you will understand that we have only operated along the Mississippi. This is the great movement of the war, and the future already begins to look brighter before us.

You have read in the papers about our Lake Providence canal before this time. I was on the ground when the levee was cut and the water let into the canal. The adjacent country is many feet lower than the river; the men only cut a channel four feet wide at first, but within twenty-four hours it had made itself a channel of a hundred yards in width: it is a bend of the river where the current strikes the bank with great force, and of course it rushed thro' the gap with almost frightful velocity. The water has been running nearly a month, but the current still flows with unabated strength and velocity. Full one-third of this State is inundated and completely depopulated in consequence of it.

In a camp like this there are incidents occurring every day which will be interesting to you, and I will tell you a few of them. About five miles from our camp is a large plantation owned by a man who is Major in a guerrilla band. His wife remained at home unmolested by our troops. One night about four weeks ago he came home to visit his family, and was accompanied by thirty of his band. Their horses were put into the stables, and the men occupied a large log house that was built for a granary. After all was quiet, one of his negroes came into our camp with the intelligence of his arrival, and offered to conduct a party to the place to capture them. Fifty men were immediately dispatched under the guidance of the negro. They arrived at the place about an hour before day-break. The rebels were so unsuspicious of danger that they had no sentinels posted to give the alarm, and the negro conducted the officer who commanded the party—with a few of the men—into the house, when he lighted a candle and led them into his master's room, where they found him sleeping soundly. They awakened him and took him along. Meanwhile the rebels in the log house had been alarmed by the barking of a dog, and found that they were in a trap, and prepared to defend their position. They could fire their carbines at our men, through the spaces between the logs, with deadly effect, without danger to themselves. The Captain sent into camp for a piece of artillery, which was promptly furnished him. They fired a shell at the building, which struck the ground close by and made the bark and splinters fly from the logs, when it burst. Before they had time to reload the rebels hung out a white flag, and surrendered unconditionally. They were brought into camp, horses and all; they were a hard looking crowd I assure you. The negro was handsomely rewarded, and our General got him a fireman's berth on one of the steamers.

The First Kansas regiment, of which I have spoken before, is encamped near us. One of the members of that regiment, a Sergeant, died in the hospital two weeks ago. After death his comrades discovered that their companion, by the side of whom they had marched and fought for almost two years, was a woman. You may imagine their surprise at the discovery. I went to the hospital and saw the body after it was prepared for burial, and made some inquiries about her. She was of rather more than average size for a woman, with rather strongly marked features so that with the aid of man's attire she had quite a masculine look. She enlisted in the regiment after they went to Missouri; and consequently they know nothing of her early history. She probably served under an assumed name. She was in the battle of Springfield, where Gen. Lyon was killed, and has fought in a dozen battles and skirmishes—She always sustained an excellent reputation, both as a man and a soldier, and the men all speak of her in terms of respect and affection. She was brave as a lion in battle, and never flinched from any duty or hardship that fell to her lot. She must have been very shrewd to have lived in the regiment so long, and preserve her secret so well. Poor girl! she was worthy of a better fate. Who knows what grief, trouble or persecution induced her to embrace such a life?