Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-09-12
state of Affairs "a, Richmond.

We clip The following extracts froa the
letters of correspondent of the Charleston
Mercury. He writes from Richmond,
which, he says, is 'packed TO suffocation by
I'm innunerable crowd of iders, quid names,
public officials, and soldiers, for the most
part red capped, red faced, pussy, painting,
and perspiring; with ice at twelve cents per
,,ound, and little of that 10 be lad for love
or money; where every gate is lhronged
with suitors, either for papers to go from
this or permits 10 visit that camp, where
your nose and mouth is crammed with I'M
palpabie dust, and your ears stunned with
The mutteiings, grumblings, and curses of
discomfort or disappointment" He gives
the following gloomy account of the con-
ditiou of the Cummissariat, and the coise
duent suife,ings of the soldiers: s'Theie is
universal complaint made of the want of
efficiency in the Commissariat Department.
1t was felt severely and Immediately after
the battle of Manassas. Our brave troops,
particularly the sick and wounded, suffered
greatly. Some of the troops We're without
provisions from Sunday breakfast until
Tuesday after the battle. Since then it has
occurred more Than once that many have
been without food for twenty-four hours.
Great Indignation is left throughout the
army and in Richmod on account Of this
outrageous and uncomfortable infficiency.-
The efficiency of the army is impaired, and
even its movements retarded through the
want of supplies. l learn il has been, and
is, matter of bitter complaint and earnest
remonstrance by the commanding Gener-
ais. And not only is there want of suffi-
cient quantity, but the provisions are not
good, are. in fact, positively unwholesome.
1t is not only SO at the camps in Fairfax
county, where the army is large, but also
in other camps. A great deal of sickness
is the natural consequence. One regiment
near Acquia Creek has. lost sixty men, and
another thirty. The weather has been in
tensely hot, and the great mortality is al
tiribu,e1 10y the troops to bad provisions,
unsuitable at any time, especially during
such season.
The country people, camp traders and
suffers, too, in the neighborhood OF Fred
ericksburg and Acquia Greek, charge the
poor fellows most extortionate prices for
everything they buy. have heard it is
the same in other places, but that it is
there, am assured by the best authority.
And not only is the department of subsist-
ence i'll managed, but the equally indispen-
sible department TO the mobility and eff
cheney, transportation, is also lamentably
behind. 1t was t5e condition of these two
branches of The army, which prevented Gen.
Beauregard from advancing 10 meet Nc
Dowel, as he had intended. 1t was bis
unpreparedness in these, which prevented
him from following the defeated enemy
from Manassas. Il is these which now
paralyze him, prevent forward movement,
and is daily losing the South the substant-
ial fruits of the great victory. Beauregard
has used superhuman exertions, and strug-
gled against terrible and unappreciated
difficulties and discouragements. His great
determination, and the pluck of his troops,
have accomplished wonders. But the Ex-
ecutive vis inertia is huge obstacle to
success, and the public interests peremp-
torily- requires that no man, or set Of men,
should stand in The way.