Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-06-23
RusseII,s Description of the Confed-

crate SOld1erss
from the last Letter of Mr. William Russell, TO the
London Times.
At the present moment Charleston is like
place in the neighborhood of camp where
military and volunteer tailors are at work
trying experiments la uniforms, and sending
in their animated models for inspection.
There is an endless variety--Often of ugli-
ness-in dress and equipment and nomen-
clature among these companies. The head
dress is generally, however, a smart cap like
the French kept; the tunic is of different cuts,
cOlors, facings, and materials-green with
gray and yellow gray with orange and
black and white blue, with white and yell
low facings, roam, brown, burnt sienna and
olive-jackets, frocks, tunics, blouses, cloth,
linen, tweed, and flannel. The officers are
generally in blue frocks and brass buttons,
with red sashes, the rank being indicated by
gold lace parallelograms on the shoulder
straps, which are like those in use in the Rus
sian army, The arms of the men seem toll
erably well kept and in good order. Many
however, still shoulder white Bess"-the
old smooth bore musket with unbrowned bar
rel. The physique of the troops are undenia-
bly, good. Now and then understood, weak
ly men may be met with, but the great ma
jority of the companies consist of rank and
file exceeding the average stature of Euro
peans, and very well built and muscular.
The men ruu very large down here. Nothing.
indeed, can be more obvious, when one looks
at the full grown healthy, handsome race
which develops itself in the streets, in the bar
rooms, and in the hotel halls, than the error
of the argument, which is mainly used by
the Carolinians themselves that white men
cannot thrive in that State. In limb, figure,
height and weight, they are equal to any peo-
pie have ever seen, and their features are
very regular and pronounced.
They are, indeed, as unlike the ideal
American Of our caricstures and our stage as
the ''miLor" of the Porte St. Martin to the
English gentleman. Some of this superiority
is due to the fact that the bulk of the white
population here, are la all but name ariso-
Gratis, or rather oligarchs. The State is but
a gigantic Sparta in which the helotry are
marked by an indelible difference of color
and race from the masters. The white pop-
ulation which Is not land and slaveholding
and agricultural is very small and very in
significant. The masters enjoy every advan-
tage which can conduce to the physical ex-
ceilence of the people and to the cultivation
OF the graces and accomplishments of life.
even though they are disposed to neglect
purely Intellectual enjoyments and tastes.
Many of those who served In the ranks are
men worth from $4,000 to 9I0 900 year-at
least 90 was told, and men were pointed out to
me who were said to be worth far more. One
private feeds his company on pates and Ma
deira, another provides his comrades with
unlimited Champagne, most grateful to the
arid sandhills third, with more soldier
ly view to their permanent rather than coca
sional efficiency, purchases for the men of his
Guard" 8 complete equipment of Enfield
rifles. How long the zeal and resources of
these gentlemen will last, it may not be easy
to say. At present they would prove formid-
able to any enemy except regular army on
the plain and open field, but they are not
provided with field artillery or with adequate
cavalry, and they are not accustomed to act
in concert and in large bodies.