The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1862-02-19
Errors Of the Past.

The Richmond correspondent Of the Savannah Re
publican, writes as follows under date Of the 1st inst
The term for which many of the twelve monthsre
enlisted will expire during the approaching spring
and summer The knowledge of this fact has occasoned
some uneaSncss in certain quarters The apprehension
exists that but inconsiderabe portion of the men Will
re6nst and that there will be butew regiments offering
take the places Of those whose year has expired
Is there any foundation for this uneasiness2 fear
there IS The government stood here last summer with
club in its hand to keep of the army and now
the West Point officers stand with club to keep them
in. Last year. when there such enthusiastic rush
for the field, it not uncommon for companies OF
volunteers to remain about Richmond from to six
weeks before that delectable officer Mr. secretary
Walker, could find time organise them into regiments
And after they had taken their position in the lines and
the hardships and exposure to camp life had begun to
tell upon the constitutions of the feeble and many OF
them had been advised by their officers and surgeons
that to remain longer in the service to offer them
selves sacrifice without any corresponding good-it
was then that the old army officers neposed with their
cubs to prevent them from getting furloughs and dis
charges, however sufficient the cause might be.
The government proceeded upon the idea that the
tired of the service-that they were 'payng
old soldier and must be keptin the ranks at any sacri
fee. The applicant for sick leave discharge was
quired go through numberless intricate forms-to
tread perfect abyrnths of red tapeere he could gain
the desired object II be got through successfully, he
looked upon kind Of prodigy. Indeed, have
known men who were considered tit to set upon the
bench in Georgia. make two trials before they
could get the papers right
One poor fellow, whose papers had been made outas
he thought properly proceeded through an August sun
in an open road wagon miles Manassas when he got
there and was lifted out West Pontman said couldn't
go-papers were all wrong" So he was hauled back to
camp-twenty miles in all that day. Remember this
was a sick mamie had the typhoid fever-and was
only applying for leave 60 hospital in Richmond
On his return another effort made to comply with
the 'forms" The papers when drawn up, resent to
Gen Johnston, who, being West Pointer, Of course
pronounced them informal. Some not crossed,
or not dotted. Finally a consultation called Of
member OF congress- circuit court Judge brigadier
general colonel and an old army surgeon-all in the
seryice-who after scratching Of heads and hard labor
succeeded in putting the application in proper shape,
and the poor fellow was at last, permitted to pass the
snarling Cerberus who guards the gates at Manassas
But the leave came too late. The man did not live
to get to the hospital higher power than the com
mander-n-chef had granted him final discharge-not
from the army alone, but from all subunary things.
Two of the gravest yet committed by the gov
eminent, have been, first lack Of confidence in the
fighting ability of the volunteer and, second the
forcement Of rules and regulations which well
enough in the old regular army, composed for the most
part Of the elements of society but which al
together out Of place among volunteers, many of whom
are the best and bravest in all the land Had the
forces who won the battle of Manassas been regulars,
they would not have been recalled from the pursuit.
And vet on that very field they had whipped the regu-
lars OF the old federal army, man to