December 13, 1862. Meanwhile, back at Camp Vermont...

" We left the Camp about 9 AM & marched about 3 miles South, to a Barracks, just Vacated by the 12th Vermont, there we unslung Knapsacks, & commenced fixing up, expecting to stay there & were congratualting our selves, on our nice Quarters, when we were again ordered to Fall into line, & give place to the 4th Delaware.

"You can imagine how nice we felt having to give up our Quarters.

"About 4 PM, we marched about a 4 mile farther South to the 16th Vermonts Ground.  ...This Camp is fixed for Stockade Tents, It is laid up with Logs, about 6 logs high, about 6 feet Square & the A Tents, put on top, so it look a great deal like a house. If we stay here we can take comfort." ~ Cprl. Manley Stacey, 111th New York Volunteer Infantry, Company D, Letter of December 12, 1862

 "I returned to Camp Vermont the day after [the march to Fairfax Courthouse]. The Third brigade of Casey's division was already installed in the winter quarters built with so much labor by the Vermont regiments. The Fourth Delaware was in the camp of the Twelfth, and a new order of things was in force. 

"The quiet and discipline of the Vermont camps had disappeared. Muskets were popping promiscuously all around the camps; much petty thieving appeared to be on foot; and Mr. Mason, the gray headed "neutral" who owns the manor, was praying for the return of the Vermont brigade. His fences were lowering with remarkable rapidity; the roofs of some of his out-houses had quite disappeared, and Colonel Grimshaw, commanding the brigade, had his headquarters in the front parlor of his mansion. I could not give him a great deal of sympathy, for I believe him to be a rebel; but I was glad the spoliation was not the work of our Vermont boys." ~ G.G. Benedict, pvt., Company C, 12th Regiment, Letter to the Free Press of December 15, 1862 in Army Life in Virginia.