Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-10-21
An INSIDE VIEW OF LEES ARMY.

An INSIDE VIEW OF L.Rs ARMY.
Nakelness and Starvation Impend-
Ing.
EARNRST APPEAL TO THE PEO-
PIE OF THE SOUTH FOR CLOTH.
ING.
A correspondent Of the Savannah
(Ga.) Republican, who 10 with Lees
army, writes from Winchester. Va, on
the 10Th ult., that he was not 1t oil pre-.
pareo for the hardships that army had
experienced since it left the Rsppahau-
nook, and that be could recall no paral-
lei instance in history, except Napo-
Icons disastrous retreat from Moscow,
where an army had done more march.
ing aud fighting, under such great dis
advantage, than Lees. During q whole
month the army had but four days
rest. One-fif;h of the men were bare
footed, one-half in rags, and the whole
half famished. The country through
which they we're passing WAS desolated,
aud the transportation was insufficient
to keep the army supplied, and when
provision trains arrived the men seldom
had time to cook, and many them bad
left their cooking utensils behind. It
Was not unusual to see . company Of
starving men have = barrel Of -four dis.
tributed to them, which they could not
make into bread. No army on this con-
.:"Ant- continues the writer, has ever
suffered 40 much As the army OF N ORTIZ
ern Virginia within the last thrus
months. But their past trials are hard.
y worth naming 10 comparison with the
sufferings in store for the winter, unless
the people of the Confederate States,
every where, and in whstever ciroum.
stances come to ito immediate relief.
He says "the 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 friends at home should have to
wear cotton and cit by the fire. 1t is
not necessary to counsel violent meas.
ures; but it 10 not expected that any
person ill be permitted to accumulate
leather and cloth for the purpose Of
speculation. It was hoped that We might
obtain winter supplies in Maryland.
This hope was born after the enemy left
Richmond, and has now miserably per-
ishej. The Government is unable to
furnish the supplies, for they are not to
be had in this country. II It had exer-
cised little forethought last spring and
summer, when vessels were running the
blockade with cargoes OF calico, linen
and other articles Of like importance, a
partial supply, at least, of hats, blank
cts, shoes and WOODEN goods might have
been obtained from England. But tore.
sight is quality Of the mind that is eel
dom put in practice in these days.
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 secondhand Of a
watch, with the pangs Of sufferer. AL
ready 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.
If the army Of Virginia could march
through the South just as 1t is-ragged
aud barefooted and hatless-many oil
the men limping along, and not quite
we'll Of their wounds and sickness, ye,
cheerful and not willing to abandon
their places in the ranks-their clothes
riddled with balls, and their banners Gov
cred With the smoke and dust of battle
and shot into tatters, many Of them in
scribcd with withdrawing" "Seven
Pines," "Gaines' MILL" Garrett,
Farm" "F,ont Royal" "McDowell,"
"Cedar Rum" and other victorious
felds-if this army of veterans, thu:
clad and shod, with tattered uniforms
and banners, could march from Rich.
mond to the Mississippi, it would pro.
duce sensation that has no parallel ia
history since Peter the Hermit led biz
swelling hosts across Europe to the res.
cue Of the holy Sepulchre.
do not write to create an alarm. OF
to produce sensation, but to arouse the
people to sense Of the true condition
Of the army. l have yet to learn tina,
anything is to be made by suppressing
the truth, and leaving the army te
suffer. If | must withhold the truth
when the necessities Of the service re.
quire it to be spoken, am quite ready
to return home.