, 1862-08-25
. How the Army Dw1ndles Away.

The people are grossly aud Bhamefu11y i'm
posed on By host Of idler5 who have joined
the army and Jet seize all occasions to shirk
military service. As proof Of this, an ex
change says;
"Trom high military authority it is learned
pay ever Cox, ,000 enlisted men, the number &C.
tually on duty does not exceed 5G3, 600! The
other 2SS7, 600 comprise the wounded, sick and
absent on fnrlougb-"
Here we find not far from one-haIf Of our
army rendering no service. We make no
complaint OF the sick and wounded; they are
suffering for us, and re cheerfully pay item
tEeir just dues, Us well as extend them our
s5mpatbies. But there Is, BY universal testi-
nlopy, q large army OF absentees, who are
away from duty without any good excuse. 4
soldiers work is not one to be dropped at any
moment for visit home, or frolic in some
city, OF trip to q watering place. These
feeling patriot Would wish to indulge in them
when his country is threatened BY dangerous
enemy.
First let us whip the enemy, aud then VIC
| may rtjoice with propriety- We read in his
! tory OF brave soldier who refused to sleep In
| his house while on q visit to his native city,
| because his fellow soldiers were sleeping ii
| tie open air. Men WHO are not willing to
sacrifice their former pleasures have no
business to be in command OF troops. We
| fear that some seci ,nB Of our army are rust,
ing away il iuglorlous iudolence, and That eV-
| cry day they spend in the army-not the ssrrice,
for they do no enthusiastically makes them
less fit 10 cope with their willy and viglaut
foe. Hundreds Of our officers have degenerat
| ed into volup'uous sybarites, their strength
energy and patriotism sapped by debaachery
and the Wretched Infection has com
mu1icated itself to their men. vi
can wiu no victory with such laggards 0nt
! whose minds and bodies have baen KEEP
alive and strengthened by continual service
could scatter host Of such effeminates l6
flock Ct sheep, Such soldiers have N
sense Of pride After few months ofidlenes
they become weary and wovld really like Il
Fighting is fasiguiug and dangerous; in
stances have been known where soldiers wh
| resisted the enemy were either Killed O
wounded; and so our soldier determines
with the illustrious Falstaf, that ts tsdi6cretiol
is the better part Of valor," and he surrender
With ont firing gun, or bursting cap- Wec1
on our military authorities to see that thcs
1epeated surprises, susrenders without i ght
ing, and parolings, are stopped By sever
measures. We have squads OF men ecattere
all along the railroads in the enemy's couu
try TO guard bridges. and yet ne do not knoi
ora solitary place where these guards are Pre-
iected By entertainments or forts. The cor
| ESAueLNE ID AAoh t1G4 sAAG ElIhtA AE al Ae-11
and We loee thousauds OF soldiers. At til
rate our whole army can be wiped OF
| and s' nobody hurt It will hsve one goa
| effect, perhaps, en- the enemy, for when
eees that our troops eau be 60 easily captnrst
hewill certainly not desire to kill anybod
| What humane warfare thisshas become, Wht
soldiers surrender to prevent b1oodshee
Vigilance. vigilance, vigilance, is what is d
, manted IN The army. No army, however 1arg
can be effective or formidable without tn
. quality. What commander will set us all +
| examrler We cannot afford to he dimin1s
, ing the rumper Of our troops and supplYir
, the rebels with arms in the way We have bet
doing.