The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-10-28
CONDITION. OF THE ARMY.

WeagRin return TO the suDJect Oh the condltloL
of the Army Of Northern Virginia. The Govern
ment has begun to move in the matter of furnish
ing supplies to the troops, and several wagons
loaded with shoes and clothing, had reached Win
chester as early as the middle of last week. We
understand that other shipments of clothing, shoes
and, perhaps, blankets, have been made to the
same destination. These supplies will afford great
relief as far as they 60, and we only regret they
are not ample enough to meet the wants of the
entire army Much good will be accomplished
however, it even portion OF our baretooted and
ras ged defenders have shoes put upon their feet
and clothing upon their backs Many of them
have not changed their clothing since they left
Richmond. They have slept in Thought in it
crossed the Potomac in ir-marched over dusty
roads, and through storm and sunshine in it; yet
they have not changed it or washed it in all this
time, because they had no other to put when
that Was taken off! The reader will not be sur
prsed to hear, therefore, that many of the troops
are covered with vermIn, aud their clothing rot
ten aud dirty beyond anything that they have ever
seen. There is no negro in Virginia who is not
better off, in this respect, than some OF the best
soldiers and first gentlemen in all the land.
We understand that the Government has already
forwarded to Gen. Lees army over 10000 gar
ments, and large shipment OF shoes. This num-
Der of garments, allowing coat, pair of pants,
and shirt to man, will furnish suits, say, for
10000 needy men. This will go far towards re-
heVing the more destitute. The Government has
in its employ in this city, SO tailors who cut out
the cloth, and ZOO women who make it up into
garments-thc whole turning out, on an average,
5000 garments per week, coats, pants, and
shirts for 5000 men. There other establish
ments, in other parts of the Confederacy, where
clothing is being manufactured for the army, and
the force engaged is sufficient, perhaps, to turn
IlIlD fS 70 oSt
mating army in the field at 100000 men, it
would require more than year to furnish each
with single suit Of clothes If we suppose
the various Government establishments will be
able to supply 100000 men by Christmas there
will still be 2O0,0 900 left, who will have to look
to the people at home for their outfits, or go
without clotl in. IF the Government should
provide for 100000, the number left for the
try to clothe would still be frghtfully large
100 600 men!
These figures are merely rough estimates, and
are only intended to serve the purpose of directing
the attention of the people to the magnitude of
the labor before them. After the Government
shall have done all it can, there will still be much
left for the warm hearts and willing hands of the
people to perform. If they would accomplish this
labor, in time to benefit those for whom it is I'M
dcrtaken, they cannot set about it too soon. The
weather among the mountains of Northern Vir-
gina is already cold to the who sleeps upon
the ground, with no tent to shelter him from the
rain and dew, with no shoes upon his feet, with
no blanket to cover him while he sleeps or stands
guard fer us, and with only tattered, dirty and
threadbare garments upon his manly limbs. Let
the people, then, every where and in whatever cir
cumstances, commence the good work
possible, and never leave it off until the best and
bravest army in the world shall have been fur
nished with all the comforts it may be in our pow
er to bestow. Let not stop to indulge our
indignation against the Government for its want
of provideut foresight and its cruel neglect, but
let US rather clothe the naked and supply the
army first, and then hold the authorities to just
And who is SO INDECENT, and who so misery,
that he cannot contribute something to the relief
of such troops as ours? Though destitute, as we
have represented them to be, and though many of
them have gone without food for days together,
and that at a time when they were making long
marches and fighting bloody battles with the en-
emles OF our country, still they are cheerful, pa
tlent and resolutc ever, and are ready now, as
they have been at all times, to assert their birth
right to be free. If the invader thinks different
y, he has only to seek them where they are, and
he will soon be cured Of his foy-Rrh. Wig