Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-09-14
How the Southern Army 10 Provided fsr-A
History Of Its Csmmissariat-The Experi.
ence Of q Company.

now tne SoutheFn army IL ffoVtde0 1or-A
History Of It's Csmmissariat-TheE Experi.
ence Of Company.
The editor Of the Richmond Examiner is a
reckless sort Of fellow, and insists upon grum-
bling in fine style, in spite of the rebel despot-
Ism, and the censorship of the press. He is an
undoubted fre-ester, and q classicaIly educa-
ted desperate. Our readers have heard of
him-JOhn M. Daniels, late Minister to Sardi-
mia. We find the following in his paper Of
August 30th:
coNMIssARIAr
We have said in the beginning of this war,
and We repeat it, that " Behind every victory
or defeat stalks the ghost of a commissary. .
Whatever the fortune of particular battles,
that Of the campaign will be mainly decided
by the health Of the army. The penny wise,
pound foolish policy which we have witnessed
in the transactions Of the furnishing depart
ment, is as false to the spirit Of the South as to
its needs. Food rendered unpalstable and
unwholesome by the neglect of procuring suit
able boilers and bake ovens, then by the alb
sence Of bakers and cocks in a country where
they abound, is one chief permanent cause Of
ill-health in our camps; another is insufficient
protection from the inclemencies of the wealth
er 80 many tents without hy-cloths, let the
rain spatter through and wet everything
Surely tar, at least, might have been found to
make them waterproof. Finally, the neglect
of cleanliness, alike personal and public, and
list.
company of volunteers encamped within
few hours journey of their respective homes,
during period of six weeks in midsummer,
had never fresh meat or vegetables allowed
them. They had but one axe in camp, and
one old hatchet-no hammers, saws or other
necessary tools, not even nsils-not q pot in
which to boil or stew, until the writer borrow
ed one for them of his own motion from neigh
boring farmer. They had not q single large
| fork, spoon or ladle, but one common meat
knife-no chopper, no FIRE tongs or shovel, no
pot hook-only four wooden trays of the small
est siZe-ef buckets, about one Of the common
1 size, painted inside, to a dozen men-and Of
basins still fewer-about half as many tin cups
and plates, knives and forks as there are men
| in the company. Many were without change
| Of clothes for weeks together. They had not a
| matchsafe or tinderbox, no seryiceable lantern
| or lamps. Not ovens or pans enough to cook
a whole meal at a time-no washerwomen as
| allowed by the Regulations" nor other SER
wants whatsoever. Their meat was nearly all
| fried, and their rations wsstefully prepared
and wretchedly cooked, hardly ever went
round without some ones being shared out.
No wood was ever brought but such as the
cocks dragged from the forest near by. The
only time the men were allowed to bsthe was
Immediately after supper. They were oficered
by West Point captain, and all their officers
were gentlemen of refined culture, who kept
their own servants, their own table, and ig-
nored as much as possible the existence of the
men when of duty. Their quartermaster and
commissary, who, for the company, are one
person, was as usual a sergeant, who, as is Gus
tomsry, eyaded as much as possible the duties
OF the commissariat. This state of things oc-
casioned great discontent-the camp was al
ways grumbling, but no member of the COM
psny ever took upon himself to obtain, or even
demanded redress for grievances. A few de-
serted-more would had they dsred-disaffec
tion with the service was general. Treated
worse than any negro slaves, they said among
themselves, "Whst il the South whips, We
die, the non-slaveholding whites will get
nothing by it,"
They said much tcorse than this, for thev
tcsre vtrtually aboiitt0nised by their posi-
zion, and they had not culture or reason
enough to understand the comparative adyan-
tsges which even the poorest white man in the
South enjoys, in consequence of system which
checks foreign emigration and keeps arabic
lands always open to his industry. This com
pany, which contained a fair proportion Of in
telligence and manhood, submitted passiyely
TO the privations abeve mentioned within hail
of their own homes. What, then, can be ex-
pected Of soldiers far away from home and
placed under physical as we'll as moral disabil.
tiles? Here they were encamped in a very
healthy location, and too few in number to
vidate the air. The waters within shot
sbounded in fish. There was everything to
tantalize, to provoke the explosion of individ-
uai energies; but the very idea that they were
soldiers paralyzed them.
When the writer, visiting the camp, repre-
sented its wants to its captain, be was told that
the Commisssry Department had refused to
furnish more than we have mentioned, and af-
terwaras, at another place, the only additions
made we're rice and molasses, some sheet iron
camp kettles, half full of holes, and some little
axes, besides what the Captain purchased for
thescompany out of his own pocket
The experience of this company is still very
favorable on the whole, as compared with
great many others we could name