The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1862-10-17

2. That the5act entitled "an act to exempt
certain persons from enrolment for service in
the armies of~tne Confederate States" an.
proved the 2fst Of April, 1862, is hereby re-
pealed.
The Campaign in Virginia.
Our A,my--Hs Great Deeds-Hs Trials. its
Su1erings, and as Psrils IN the Future.
| [Correspo she Savannah Republican,
| WIScHEsrER, VA, Sept. 26.
NY condition isssuch as to render it impos-
siDie for me to rejoin the army for the present.
was not prepared for the hardships, expo
sures and fastings the army has encountered
since it left the Rappahannock, and, like
many seasoned campaigner, have had to
! ''fall out by the way. Indeed, can recall
no parallel instance in history, except Napo-
/ Icons disastrous retreat from Moscow, where
an army has ever done more marching and
| fighting, under such great disadvantages,
than General Lees shas done since it left the
banks of james river. It proceeded directly
to the Rappahannosk, and moving out from
that river it fought its way to the Potomac,
crossed the stream, and moved on to Freder-
icktown and Hagefssuwn, had q heavy en-
gagement at Boonsb,rp' Gap, and another at
tCrampton Gap, below, fought the greatest
pitched battle Of thsswar at Sharpsburg, and,
then recrossed che Kotomac back into Virgin
ia. During all this time, covering the full
space Of month. the troops rested but four
days! And letit always be remembered to
their honor, that Of the men who performed.
this wonderful! feat, one fifth Of them were
| barefooted, one-haH lf then, in rags and the
whole of them half furnished. The country
from the Rappahanrpck to the Potomac had
been visited by the eaemy with fire and sword,
, and our transportation was Insufficient to keep
the army supplied from SO distant a. base as
lGordonsville 5; and when the provision trains
would overtake theep fny. so pressing were
the exigencies of th4lE position, the men sell
dom had time 10 cook 4 heir.dificultie were
increased by the fifct that their cooking uten.
sis, in many cases, had been left behind, as
well as everything else that would impede
their movements. II was not unusual to see
| a company Of starving men have barrel Of
-four distributed &. them, which It. was utter
Fly Impossible fcf them tor convert into bread
with the means and TIE time allowed tothem.
They could not procure even piece of plank
| or corn or -four sack, upon which to work
up their dough.
Doyouwonter, then, that there should have
been stragglers from the army That brave
and true men should have fallen out'of line
from sheer exhaustion, or in their efforts to
obtain monthful to eat along the roadside !?
| Or that many. seasoned veterans, the conquer
ors in the Valley. at Richmond and Manassas,
should have succumbed TO disease and been
| forced back todhe hospital look to hear
great cutlery raised against the stragglers.-
Already lazy cavalry men and dainty staff
] officers and quartermastprs, who are mounted
and can foragesS the country for something to
| eat, are condensning the weary private, who,
| notwithstanding his body may be covered with
dust and perspiration, and his feet with stone
| bruises, is expected totredge along under his
knapsack and cartridge box, on an empty sto-
mach; and never to turne aside for a morsel OF
food to sustain his sinking limbs. Out upon
such monstrous Injustice That there has
been unnecessary struggling is readily admit,
tied; but in a large majority of eases the men
have only to point to their bleeding feet, tat
tered garments, and gaunt frames, for an an
swer to the unjust charge.
No army on this continent has ever accom-
plished as much or suffered as much. as the
army Of Northern Virginia within the last
three months. At opsriod daring the first
revolutionary war-nqt even at Valley Forge
did our forefathers ii arms encounter great
err hardships, OF endure them more uncom-
plainingly.
But great as have been the trials to Whlch
the army has been subjected, they are hardly
worthy to be named in Tcomparison with the
sufferings in store for it this winter, unless
the people of the Confederate States every
where and in whatever circumstances, come
to its immediate relief
The men must have clothing and shoes this
winter. They must have something to cover
themselves when sleeping, and to protect.
themselves from the driving 5sleet and snow
storms when on Duty. This must be done,
though our friends at home should have TO
wear cotton and sit by the FIRE. The army IN
Virginia stands guard this day, as it will stand
this winter, over every hearthstone through
out the South. 4 The ragged sentinel who may
pace his wearyroun1s this.winter on the bleak
spurs Of the Blue Ridge, or along the frozen
valleys of the, Shenandoah and Rappahan-
mock, will also be your sentinels, my friends,
| at home. It will be for you and your house
hold that he encounters the wrath of the tenn
pest and the dangers Of the night. He Suffers
and tolls and fights for you, too, brave, true,
hearted women Of the South. Will you not
clothe his nakedness, then? VIII you not put
shoes and stockings on his feet? Is It not
enough that he has written down his patriots
ism in crimson characters along the battle
road from the Rappahannock TO the Potomac !!
And must his bleeding feet also impress their
mark of fidelity upon the SHOWS OF the coming
winter? know what your answer Will pc.
God has spoken through tho women o. the