Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-08-28
MORNINGLBADER
20 lhs Arhy DWlnaIs. ANaE.

The people are grossly and shamefully
imposed on BY 6 host o. idlera who have
Joined The army and yet seize all occasions
70 shirk military service. As proof Of
this, an exchange says; ts
"From high military authority it Is
learned that although thc1N are on the
rolls drawing pay over 60o,OOO enlisted
men, the number actually on duty does not
exceed SOC, ,000l The other $4,000 com
prise the wounded, sick and absent on fur
tough.A lff #-
Here we End not far from oue-hnlf Of our
army rendering no service. We make no
complaint Of the sick and wounded; they
are suffering for u.s. and we eheerfully pay
then their just dues as well as extend
them our sympathies. But there is, by
universal testimony, a large number Of ab-
ssnteess who are away from duty without
any good excuse. A soldiers work is not
one to be dropped at any moment for a Vie
sit home or frolic in some city, or a trip
70 some watering place. These things are
all pleasant enough, but no right feeling
patriot would wish to indulge in them
when his country is threatened by dan
gerous enemy.
First, let US whip the enemy, and then
we may rejoice with propriety. We read
in history Of brave soldier who would not
sleep Ia his house while on q visit to his
native city, because his fellow soldiers
were sleeping in the open air. Men who
are not willing to sacrifice their former
pleasures, have no business to be in com
mand Of troops We fear that some sec
tons of our army are rusting away in in
glorious Incidence, aud that every day they
spend IN the army,-not the service, for
they do no service-actually makes them
less ct TO cope with their willy and vigilant
Zoe. Hundreds of our officers have deRen-
Grated into voluptuous Sybarites, their pa
triotism, energy and strength sapped by
debauehery; and the wretched infection
has communicated itself to their men. We
can win no victory with such laggards.-
One regiment Of stout, active, industrious
men, whose minds and bodies have been
kept alive and strengthened.by continual
service, could scatter host Of such effem-
mates like flock Of sheep. Such soldiers
have no sense Of pride. Aftera few months
Of idleness they become weary, and would
really like to be surprised and paroled by
the enemy. Fighting is fstiguing and dan
Fsr0us. Instances have been known where
soldiers who resisted the enemy have been
either killed or wounded; and so our SOL
der determines. with the illustrious Fall
staff, that discretion is the better part of
Valor,' and he surrenders without firing q
gun or bursting a cap. We call on our
military authorities to see that these re-
pested surprises, surrenders without fight
ing, and parolings, are stopped by severe
measures, We have squads Of men scat
tered all along the railroads in the enemy's
country, 10 guard bridges, and yet we do
not know Of a solitary place where those
guardslare protected by entrenchments or
forts. The consequence is, they are picked
up in detail, and We lose thousands Of sol
diers. AT this rate, cur whole army can
be wifed out and TnobOdy shurtn 1t will
have one good effect, perhaps. on he enc
NJ, for when, be secs that oltr troops can
- q easily eaptured, he WI certainly not |
c9zire to1Eiu anybody. What 4 humane 1
- aIf4fe this has become when soldiers sur- !
render 70 prevent bloodshed1 Vigiance, 1
vigilance vigilanoe, is what is demanded /
ia TIE ermy. No army. however lsrre.
pap p effective O. forlnid bic withsat this /
cue llty.N What commander win sci. IS an I
plg2,S We cannot atfor5 TO Be dimin- I
is n the humber of oU4 troons and sup I
plyi1g TIE rebels VIII arms in the Wsy we .
have heoT5 dong - q 49,