Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-07-16
The Soldiers Defrauded.

soldiers around Richmond are worse clothed than
any in the service. This is not the fault of the
Legislature of the Convention, but Of the ADMIN
istration at Raleigh, as the following extract from
letter from an intelligent officer near Richmond;
will show:
"There is one subject to which wish to call
your attention, and that is the manner In which
soldiers clothed. The law fixing the pay of the
army allows each soldier the same amount of cloth
ing which a regular is allowed, and in lieu thereof
Communication money at the rate of $25 for six
months, or $50 per year. Now, soldiers can carry
but little clothing in their knupsacks, and it is to
their convenience and profit to buy their clothes
from the QuartermaSter Just as they need them.
Moreover, his Undertaking, which is the most i'm
portant item, he prefers to get from home instead
OF paying 81 for shirt and the same for drawers
The government at Raleigh has an immense guam
tity of JeO Stop shop clothing, which no Captain
will purchase, if he can possibly avoid it. But to
get it off, the Raleigh government is forcing the SOL
der to buy this from them. They have made
arrangement with the War Department by which
the clothing money is paid to them, and they issue
to our soldiers certain amount of this old clothing
and on this account the Confederate government is
sues no clothing at all to our troops"
Our correspondent then states that the Colonel Of
his regiment picked out excellent uniform for his
men in Richmond, but the government refused 1t to
him, for the reasons above given, though his regi-
ment was IN rags; and another Colonel sent his
Quartermaster to Raleigh for clothing and the Quar-
termaster would not take what was offered, saying
properly he would not transport them for them.
Both these regiments fought at Manassas, and in all
the late battles around Richmond
The regiments from other States are well clothed,
because the other States have no war establishments
as ours has, and their troops turned fast
as raised to the Confederate government. The con-
servatives and friends of reform have labored in
this State for twelve months to get clear of our
pensive war establishment, and to place all our
operations and the clothing of our troops where
they properly belong, under the care Of the COM
mon government; but the faction in power in Ra-
leigh have constantly opposed such a course, being
anxious to hold on to the power and patronage
which large war establishment creates. And so,
through faithleSs parzan contractors, soldiers
are defIauded, and many of them in rags, while
the soldiers from other States well clothed.
What burning shame! The heroes of Manassas,
of Seven Pines and of battles almost without num-
Der, naked and neglected, and ridicued as We hear
by soldiers from other States, in order that Jew
slop-shop clothing may be worked off and that
scores of officials in Raleigh and elsewhere may
have the pretext OF employment to save them from
the conscripton and may also purchase their bacon,
salt, molasses, coffee and the like at government
prices and live in the shade and advocate the black
flag not showing their own faces n the battle, and
employ their leisure moments in denouncing the
lationS and friends at home of thousands of these
heroes as traitors to the Soulful What would Zeb
Vance do, if he were Governor? Think you he
would allow the brave men who fight our battles to
be imposed on in this way? NO! If necessary
he would scourge those who have defrauded Them
and the shade officers who have neglected them,
with whip of scorpions from their posts, and put
better and more honest men in their places. The
stalfeds know this, and hence their opposition to
him. His enemies say he is only goodhumored
young man, and exceS in joking Well, he does love
joke, and he laughs at every good anecdote but his
own; but his wrath is terrible against wrong doors,
and it will burn after all those who have defrauded
or imposed on the brave who fight our battles.
Wait till Vance is Governor, boys, and you will
have justice-but not before. He will take the oath
about two months from this date, and after that you
will be put off with no more slop-shop clothing
The Jews and the money changers" and the off,
cias who fitch from you your bounty, and the shade
officers who put airs, and the big officials who
play the tyrant and the creeping things who infest
the capitol begging for a little work to save them
from cOnscription little printing to keep up de-
cayng ncwspapers,-GU sucA-no matter by what
name heretofore called will be invited in the most
good natured manner imaginable to take up their
things and walk We are not authorized to say this,
to say any thing for Col Vance, but we give our
opinion, which will go for what it is worth.