Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-11-10
The s.sItuasIon,, in western virginia.
From the Atlanta Confederacy.
RocKBRIDGE ALUa SPRINGS. Va,
|. Uctober 80. 1861.

4
October 80, 1861.
Dnar Confedsrdcy- There is nothing new,
startling. or exciting to communicate from
this portion of the Confederate Army Gen.
Denelson is still at Greenbfier river, where
he is throwing up fortiications. Gen. Lor-
ings brigade has returned from Sewell's
Mountain, and is now with Gen. Denelson at
Greenbrier river. sItis rumored that Gen .
LGring intends making another advance upon
Cheat Mountain and Huttonsyille but the
rumor is hardly to be credited, as the season
is too far advanced to undertake a march
which would be attended with go many diff
cuities and as much labor as that would be.
Gen. Jackson is still on Greenbrier river, at
the crossing of the Stanton and Parkersburg
turnpike. There is every reason to believe
that the campaign in Western Virginia has
about closed Neither party has gained any
substantial advantage, and both have lost
many lives by sickness and exposure, and
immense sums of money.
What disposition viii be made of the troops
now in this portion of the State has not been
determined upon, or, if it has, Is not known.
Nearly or. quite all Of them are exceedingly
anxious TO be transferred to more genial
| climate, and 10 a field that promises more ae-
tive service than can be had in the ice and
SHOWS Of the Allegheny mountains. Several
regiments are made up of tareEpe months men,
whose terms of service will expire in May
and June. To keep them here Though the
winter, confined to quarters, to be discharged
next Spring before they can possibly get out
to do any service, appears not only impolitie
but unkind. They earnestly desire to be
sent TO the coast or to Kentucky, where they
can stand chance to snake their marks"
and are consequently urging their claims to
the utmost. A large number of the 18th GA
Reg't. are in the Hospitals. A great many
have died, and quite number of them will
have TO be discharged. or else remain in the
| Hospitals all the winter, at a heavy cost 10
the government and many of them to be
turned off in the Spring, invalids and pen
sioners for lie. 1t is urged upon the War
Department and Gems. Loring and Donelson
that by transferring this Regiment farther
south the health CT the sick will improve, the
well will continue in good health, and will be
doing the country service-that the different
companies can be filed up by Spring with
| healthy, able bodied recruits; so that by the
opening of the Summer campaign the Regi-
ment will be in good fighting condition. -
The weather has at last become dry, cool
and healthy. This is of very great sanitary
importance to the Army, as ii will greatly
benefit the sick. and protect the well from
prevalent diseases. In fact a change for the
better is very perceptible even now, among
the sick. They have nearly all been moved
to the different watering places, which are
piled with comfortable rooms, tolera bic bed
ding, better food, and better medical atten
ton.
Heretoforethey have been compelled to lie
in wet tents, exposed to every inclemency of
the weather, with no food except fresh beef
and -four baked on rocks or in frying pans,
without salt or lard ga4 So asafErfssf
The medical attention while in this condi-
ton was in many cases worse than none. I'M
fortunately mere Quacks-men who were
broken down at home-self inflated coxcombs, i
who strut around with swagger, drink the
brandy for which soldiers, who are their SUI
periors as gentlemen, are dying men who
put on wise airs, speak in harsh monosylia-
bles 10 sick men, use fashionable oaths over
a dying Soldier, and play the part of brutes
and fools generally-have too frequently been
appointed surgeons and assistant surgeons in
the Army. The writer of this has been the
victim to some extent of such swell-headed
seif-important chaps; and Of all the disasters
aud misfortunes which flesh is heir to, there
is none from which he wonld pray more ear
nestly to escape than from that Of falling in
TO hehands of some of these unfeeling and
incompetent men.
[ have seen soldiers, good and true men,
who would be an honor to any nation, parch-
ed and burning up with fever, lying in wet
tents without bedding, supplied with food
prepared in such a manner that Southern
planters would not allow their well negroes
TO eat, send for surgeon, and, If perchance he,
saw fit an the majesty Of his exalted position y
to answer the call at all, it would be to ask
Il few grabbed questions, utter few oaths,
and, without one word OF sympathy or en-
enlargement, turn upon his high heeled boots
and proudly strut off.
Aud / have seen worse sufferings, if posi-
bic, Tran this. from another source, where,
perhaps, there was not any one so much to
sick men, with no bedding but knapsack
and an old blanket, and conveyed over mis-
eTably rough roads 40 or 80 miles. I have
seen the same men put out of the wagons
when they could be hauled no farther to drag
themselves over the mountains as best they
could-siaggering from weakness and disease
after they have been literally jolted to death
or tried to walk until the last expiring
breath, and then buried in some unknown
spot, far away from home and loved ones.
These have been part of our sufferings
here in this dreadful portion of the service.
1t is to be hoped such sufferings will no
again occur, and if anybody mas been to
blame for any of this, it is to be hoped that
merited retribution will be dealt out sooner
or later. is, however, matter of which
we cannot indulge so well as in the case of
incompetent physicians.
As said before, the condition of the sick
is much better than it was few weeks since.
DR.. Darlington, the Medical Director, appears
to be doing all he can to provide them with
comfortable quarters, good bedding, boun-
tiful supply of we'll prepared food, aHd better
medical attention. Already change for the
better is apparent. 1t is said there are no
less than 500 sick in the Hospital at Warm
Springs, about 800 at Bath Alum, near 700
at Rockbridge Alum. besides large numbers
at the Hot Springs, Healing Springs and
lexington a large number of discharges
are being made out, more are being applied
for, and hundreds ought to be sent home who
can't get off, fs ~ ~ Va
It is said the Yankees are suffering more
from disease than we are. While the more
prevalent disease among Us is typhoid fever,
they have measles and fux. Adieu.
A SOLDIER.
To the Editors of the City Papers. ]