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6th Vermont Infantry
Kimball Collection
Letter to the Editor
From the Tenth Regiment.
________
CAMP HEINTZLEMAN, MD.,
April 26th, 1863
Friend Earle,-You will see by the heading of this that we have left our winter quarters at Conrad's Ferry, since my letter of the seventeenth. On the morning of the 18th we received orders to be ready to march as soon as we were relieved by some companies of the 23d Maine, which were momentarily expected to take our place. Tents were struck, knapsacks packed, and then we waited rather impatiently for the order to march. At four P. M., two companies of the 23d made their appearance, and at thirty minutes past five we fell into line under the direction of Capt. Dillingham-Maj. Chandler being unwell. The order by the right flank, file right, march, is given, and we are hurrying away from the camp where we have passed such an easy winter, and which we had come to regard almost like a second home. We had a very pleasant and easy march of about four miles, not a man falling out by the way, and reached here just dark, where we found our tents all up and waiting for us to take possession, they having been sent forward with a guard the fore part of the day. We have a very fine healthy camp ground, about one mile from Poolsville. The brigade headquarters has been moved from that place here.-There are now two regiments of infantry, the 23d Maine and 10th Vermont, three companies of cavalry and a battery of six pieces encamped at this place.-The 14th New Hampshire and the 39th Massachusetts belonging to this brigade, have been ordered to report in Washington, and have been sent forward accordingly, we do picket duty on the Potomac the same as formerly, sending our four companies at a time, which are relieved every ten days.
The men are in good health, with the exception of many having bad colds, caught by changing our stockaded tents and bunks for beds on the cold ground, but we shall soon get used to that and be as tough as ever.
The spring here is very cold and backward, the oldest inhabitants say they never saw the like; the citizens have just made their gardens, and in that respect I fancy they are not much ahead of Vermont. We have had a great deal of wet weather; last Thursday the rain commenced falling and kept it up incessantly for thirty six hours; it was a sorry time for man and beast, and I fancy there were many hearts that thought yearningly of the comforts of home and wondered when this war would cease.
Last Sabbath I listened to a sermon by our chaplain, the first time I have enjoyed the privilege of attending divine service for four months; after the services were over eight converts joined the church of Christ. It was a glorious scene to see the noble sons of New England, surrounded by the roughness of camp life come boldly out and enlist under the blood stained banner of Jesus.
A telegraphic communication has just been established between this place and Washington, so that we shall be informed of any important event nearly as soon as at the capital.
An oven for baking soft bread for the regiment has been finished to-day, which will doubtless save us considerable labor, and be an agreeable change to all concerned.Respectfully yours,
GEO. H. LAWRENCE.