Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1862-10-14
The COnditi.n and Suffering of our Army
Afford Relief,

TUESDAY MORNlNG, OCTOBER 14,N862.
The Conditl4 n and Suffering of our Army
Afford Relief,
The brave soldiersgSSh esbaasa, been de-
! : ! ! ! ! ! ] !
Tending rs wiz and
who have agsI a6assa
front. The ens67h II 4 rs n
Of trial and suffering ~
who are not in the a~.If IN
diers be not Supplied with BLANKETS,
clothes and shoes, we will lose more men
by disease during the Winter than 5y
all the gunboats, mortars, catEsapn -
and muskets Of the enemy.
servation -four army depends
part upon the furnishing of SUI
plies as we have mentioned, arr
preservation of our liberties, lives gre.
property depends upon the health of our
army. If these supplies be not furnish
ed In time-and there is no time to be
lost-our army will be weakened by
loss. consequent upon exposure to such
a degree as will make it doubtful, not
withstanding the unexampled bravery
of our troops, whether we will be strong
enough to resist the immense tide OF in
vasion which the enemy will send into
the South this Winter or next Spring.
We have no doubt that the Govern
ment feels the necessity of furnishing
these supplies, and that it it will do all
in its power to effect it; but in this
pressing crisis ofour need, aaadsvadetals
should promptly come to the assistance
of the Government. The men SD
furnish the means and the women s.
give their labor to supply our suite
soldiers with clothes. We have 7ls
doubt that the ladies in every neighbor
hood throughout the Confederacy would
take pleasure in doing all they cam
We feel convinced that the patriotic
citizens of this county, and her lovely
daughters who have done so nobly here
tofore, will do their duty promptly and
faithfully. It is only necessary to as
sure them that there is need OF then
services to secure them. That there is
need, there is now no doubt. Listen te
voice from the army calling for as
sistance. The following are extracts
from letter of P. w. A., the army cor
respondent of the Savannah Republic
cam:
ssNo army on this continent has ever
accomplished as much or suffered as
much, as the army of Northern Virgin
la within the last three months. At nc
period during the first revolutionary
war-not even at Valley Forge-did
our forefathers in arms encounter great
er hardships, or endure them more un-
complainingly.
g But great as have been the trials to
which the army has been subjected,
theY.are hardly worthy to be named in
COMPARISON with the suferings in store
for it this winter, unless the people Of
the Confederate States, everywhere and
in whatever circumstances, come to its
immediate relief.
ssThe men must have clothing and
shoes this winter. They must have
something to cover themselves when
sleeping, and to protect themselves from
the driving sleet and snow-storms when
on duty. This must be done, though
our friends athome should have to wear
cotton and sit by the fire. The army
in Virginia stands guard this day, as it
will stand guard this winter, over ev-
cry hearthstone throughout the South.
The ragged sentinel who may pace bis
weary rounds this winter on the bleak
spurs of the Blue Ridge, or along the
frozen valleys of the Shenandoah and
Rappahannock, will also be your senti-
nels, my friends, at home. It will be
for you and your household that he en-
counters the wrath Of the tempest 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? Will
you not put shoes and stockings on M
feet? Is it not enough that he h@
written down his patriotism in crimson
characters along the battle road from
the Rappahannock to the Potomacg--
And must his bleeding feet also i'm
press their mark of fidelity upon the
SHOWS of the coming winters | know
what your answer will be. God has
spoken through the women of the South,
and they are his holy oracles in this day
of trial and tribulation.
x x
s'But whatever may be done by the
people, should be done Immediately
Not one moment can be lost that will
not be marked, as by the second hand
of watch, with the pangs of a sufferer.
Already the hills and valleys in this
high latitude have been visited by frost,
and the nights are uncomfortably cool
to the man who sleeps upon the ground.
Come up, then, men and women of the
South, TO this sacred duty. Let moth
ing stand between you and the perform
ance of it. Neither pride nor pleasure,
nor personal ease and comfort, should
withhold your hands from the holy work.