Co F 5^th Reg't. Vt Volunteers, Camp Griffin

Lewinsville Virginia Dec 23^d 1861

 

Dear Band. Although I am far away in the land of Traitors and Rebels My mind will Stray away from the warlike Scenes which Surround me to other and more pleasant Scene which are passing in Patriotic Old Vermont That land of peace and plenty That land of Freedom far away from these warlike Scencse which are every day passing before us here and Especialy to that little band that assembles in Cornwall weekly The Band of hope /

 

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though that perhaps a few lines would be acceptable. Well my friends I dont know as I can write anything that will be very interesting But I think I shall have to give you a little History of What We Soldiers are doing in Old Virginia and of Our Camp life in General Our Camp, Styled Camp Griffin is Situated about 12 miles from the Capitol at Washington in a North Westerly direction and about 5 miles from the far famed and I should think by this time widely known Chain Bridge It is certainly a beautiful place for an / Encampment Such beautiful Rolling land Rich Soil and Beautiful location can not often be found. I know of no place in times of peace that offers better facilities for those engaged in Agricultral pursuit than this The Celebrated Camp Griffin Extends over about a mile Square of land all beautiful land as can be found in Vt well watered & fertile The Country for a number of miles around us has just the same apearance as it does here, only there is more Forest trees here they have mostly been cut down for the purpose of giveing us a better chance to guard against the Rebels and also to Stop their Bush fighting You know that they can fight better when they can conceal themselves in the bushes they could have their masked Batteries in the Edge of these woulds & we should know nothing at all about them and get led into a / Trap but we have foiled all their their plans and spoiled all their places of Concealment and now they have fallen back probaly to some other Shady place where they can hide themselves untill they are shelled out by our Batteries But to return these forests have mostly been cut down and cut into wood and burned up for firewood for the Volunteers This Camp Contains The 2^nd 3^d 4^th & 5^th & 6^th Vermont Volunteers Formerly known as Smiths Brigade now General Brooks has taken his place and Smith takes Command of a whole division instead of a Brigade Our Division Consists of Brooks Hancocks and a Brigade of Penn & Wisconsin Troops Containing in all about, 20,000 men and 4 Batteries Containing 20 Guns many of them are of the improved Rifled Style—and they are Capable of doing Great Execution and they will do it whenever They are called upon

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