Thursday, December 11, 1862. Orders to move out of Camp Vermont

"Thursday 11^th. As Gen Stoughton has altered the picket business so that we only stay out one day, our turn comes to-day. On the old right wing. On first relief & so on, from 9½ till 5½. Had a fire & were warm & nice. Got in & was thinking of the beautiful nights sleep, I should have, when, "O! horrors of war"! a messenger came to tell us to withdraw the picket & return to camp as we were ordered to leave at 5 the next morning for parts unknown." ~  Diary of Horace Barlow, 48-49,  Co. C, 12th Regiment

"[O]n returning from a hard days work on our fort, we were informed that the next morning, at 3 o'clock, we must strike tents, pack up, and leave!" ~ Pvt Daniel B Stedman 16th Regt Co. B, Letter of December 15 1862     Brattleborohistory.com

"Just now one of Gen. Stoughton's aids rides up, and hands the colonel a letter. He reads it; then (as is his custom) begins to bite his mustache, and rub his chin with his forefinger. Immediately it is noised through camp that we are to start on a march at five o'clock the next morning, with two days' rations." ~ Lt. Edwin Palmer, 13th Regiment,  The Second Brigade: or, Camp Life, By a Volunteer (1864)

"Four o'clock in the afternoon. We have received orders to be ready to march in the morning at five o'clock. The true soldier is ever willing to sacrifice his comforts for the good of his country. Just as our preparations to make ourselves comfortable through the winter are about completed, we have received marching orders, so that the result of our labors will be left for the benefit of others."  ~ J. C. Williams, Corporal, Co. B, 14th Regiment, Lifein Camp, 47-48 1864)

[ Charles P. Clark, Halifax, VT, age 19, 4SGT, Co. F, 16th VT INF, died of disease 12/11/62]

["On the 11th , when Burnside moved to the Rappahannock and 

commenced his ill-fated Fredericksburg campaign, Sigel's corps was moved 

forward from Fairfax Court House in order to be within supporting distance, 

and the Second Vermont Brigade was ordered up to the position vacated by 

Sigel." Benedict, 2 Vermont in the Civil War 419 (1888)]