Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-10-20

,u,nsd 70 yirgin:s, all in the space Of one month. The
xss,bsr was extremely hot, and many Of the men fell
~, n, the vay; others wore out their shoes, and were
un,sle to carry their baggage on barefoot over stony
,urrpikss; whilst others stripped themselves of their
kpap,aek1 when they vert into the fsht, and coming,
mt At different places, were never able to recover them.
In "the wesr,and tear" Of battle, too, among the chap
parsl and sharp rocks Of the mountains, and along the
hills and valleys, many Lost portions OF the clothing
they had on, and emerged from the terrible ooth dict with
little else than their trusty muaksts and cartridge boxes.
Indeed, we learn from 3 gentleman, who speaks IRON
personal observation, that IL vas no Uncommon thing to
pass men on the march whose miserable outfit was not
sufficient to hide their nAkedDess. Some were without
shirts, others bad on only The dirty remnant OF a pair
Of pants, without shoes, and slmcs! without caps or hats.
Soma were barefoOtsd, others had on ragged socks bat
no shoes; while one man be saw Wa destitute Of cap and
shoes, and had had one leg of his pants torn entirely
ausy Let ii be remembered, too, that many Of these
troops, thus ragged and destitute, and linping along on
fee. covered with slonebruises, had been reared up in
,a1ury, and accustomed 10 all the comforts which wealth
ana industry can supply.
But, bad as il the condition Of the men in camp, those
who were wounded and sent back to the hospitals are
still more unfortunste. Surgeons aud medicines were
sent up to Winchester, to which point most Of the sick
and wounded we're taken, but up to the lS:h inst We
are assured tina; the Medical Department had not fur
rishea a solitary col, bedssck, sheet, pillow, or change
of clothing for these ua'ortaGa:cs. With the siugle ex-
cep!iou OF the York Hospital. which was formerly ecu
pied by the Yankees, AID where they had left a complete
ou.f. ct hospital furniture, the siek and wounded were
huddisd together upol The dirty foor-in many in
stances, without a wisp Of straw between their aching
bones sld the hard plank Al HoDirg'Nor!h Grove
large numbers Wsrs placed under tent flies, With nothing
% protect them against the cold night air and driving
mountain miss. A ieE cases sre reported where the
patients we're as naked as babes just born, their scanty
clothing having been torn CT 20 Dress their wounds, and
but for a blanket borrowed from q eomrsds, they would
have been wholly destitute Of any covering save the
narrc~ hy that lad been stretched above them Such
as we're fortunate erough to get into private quarters
we're well cared FOR; bu. even the most wealthy citz'ns
Of the town and country ale bst !Iy prepared to pro-
vide for the sick and wounded. The love. EGlsy Of the
Shenandoah has been occupied alternately by one party
or the other for eighteen months; and the people have
been stripped OF slmos; every comfort. soms OF the
good women Of Winchester had established hospital
Kitchens, aud in WsrSenton they eNea tore up their calico
dress,st 70 make b~aniases for the sufferers but " n
every disposition to assist the wounded, they found i:
impossible, icon a lack Of means. to relieve their desti'
tute coalition.
We are ,ur'her Informed, that the agents Of the Gsor.
gA Relief and Hospital Association arrived at Warren.
.ou and Wnclcs;,-, with supplies Of medicines, band
lges, sPanG, GclgScSs, sheets and clothing, several
isys IL aivlHe, OF the Government supplies. Thsso
SCENTS even walked from RtP;e,n station to Warren.
'On-a distance cG forty niss-in a day aud 4 half,
,hrOugl tie 10, SUI, and over tie dusty roads end the
surgeon carried on his back his case o. ics.runeuts.-
They Fi5c5sdCd st both places to look up tie sick and
souniei IsOa tGrs oEE Safe; to place bed sieks, filed
Sih s,5AV, BuiCr them, TSn!sl them With a change Of
l.otaicg, aud 10 ID whatever 6ss they Souil 90 to rer-
Ter them comfortable. They even supplied the Goy.rn.
uen; surgeons at Warren.on With medicines, and at
Winchester si,h sGoh hospital furniture as they could
srAre.
Nov, il tie safe OF GeorstG CAL &c this much for her
sick and wounded soldiers, way may rot The Coa!ede-
rate Government which has ample means aud power, do
the sauss Gor l. Il that al association, orgi7izsd by
philsp,L;opic CT, T,Js. and supported by the Legislature
Of C1e Of cu- sister State, is Sble to accomplish more,
VA AEr4 heH W. az nv tA--Nt ia t"s NtNNAlANSGh
o. the eu.re Coufsierlsy7 Il this association can pro.
scrs baissekS sheets, clothing, Saj o,hcr hospital fur.
ai.ars, shy cannot the scrgeOa Genera o. ,ho Coz.
leierl.e SoyssIzsaI DO the simey Can the Surgeon.
jenerl answer this question: Have We so many able.
oeded nen IN he country, and are too lives OF our
,eisossd s ll!s's Of SO iisls value, that We can thus
sFIrd to sacr d-e them, either h7 sheer neglect, or the
adoption CT a brutal sys;emH Tie country d,msads an
znsver TO these questions, and no owuah si!sncs or at,
iso:ed choid dgciiy will sasty this public demand.
Bat euovgl Tor the present We shall advert 10 this
painful so &c. again. 1: is but j7s, to aid, tha. toe
GoTeransR. aa1 At length Lssvr to move in the matter
Of supplies, md that clo!hing AID shoes as being for.
wATicd to Winchester 70. the relief of the deI,itute.-
We desga to give tb, su;hoFites fall credit for whA,
they have doae and may yet do, no! only because it Is
right aud props-, but in oId,r that the people may see
how much vii still DO l,ft for then to do.