The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-08-15

How the Army Dwindies Away.
The people arc grossly and shamefully
imposed on by host Of idlers who have
Joined the army and yet seize all occa-
sions 10 shirk military service As o
proof Of this an Exchange says:
From high military authority 70 Is I
learned that although there are on the
rolls drawing pay. over 100000 enlisted |
men, the number actually on duty does /
not exceed 363OOU The other 231 600 |
comprise The wounded, sick and absent !
on furlough .-,.. M.y btm
Here we find not fag from one haD Of
our army rendering no service. We make
no complaint Of the sick and Wounded;
they are suffering for Us, and We sheer
fully pay them their just dues, as well
as extend them our sympathies. Bot
there is, by universal testimony, large
army Of absentees, who are away from
duty without any good excuse. A sol
dicr's work is not one to be dropped
at any moment for visit home, or
frolic in some CT ty, or q trip TO a water
ing place. These things are all pleasant
enough, but no right feeling patriot would
wish TO indulge In them when his ooun
try is threatened by dangerous enemy
First, let us whip the enemy, and then
we may rejoice with propriety. We read
in history Of brave old soldier who re-
fused to sleep in his house while on a.
visit TO his native city, because his fell
low soldiers iwere sleeping in the open
air. Men who are not willing 10 sacri-.
fee their former pleasures have no busi-
ness to be in command Of troops. We
fear that come sections Of our army are
rusting away in inglorious Incidence, and
that every day they spend in the army
not the serVice, for they do no service
actually makes them less fit to cope with
their willy and vigilant foe.a Hundreds
of our officers have degehetated into
voluptuous sybarites, their strength, en-
ergy and patriotism sappod by debauoh-
cry; and the wretched infection has
communicated itself to their. men. We
can win no victories with such laggards,
One regiment Of stout, active, iRdustri,
Gus men, whose minds and bodies have
been kept alive and strengthened by con-
tinual service, could scatter a host Of such
elTeminates like flock of sheep. Such
soldiers have no sense Of pride. After a
few months of idlcness they become wea-
ry and would really like 10 be surprised
and paroled by the enemy, Fighting is
latiguing and dangerous, instances have
been known where soldiers who resisted
the enemy were either killed or wounded;
and so our holiday soldier determines
with the illustrious FAlsTAFF, that +" dis
erection is The better part Of valor, and
he surrenders without firing gun OF
even bursting cap. We call on our
military authorities to see that these
repeated surprises surrcnders without
fighting, and parolings, are stopped by
severe measures, We have squads Of men
scattered all along the railroads in the
enemy's country TO guard bridges and
vet we do not know ora solitary place
whore these guards are protected BY
entertainments or forts, The CONSEQUENCE
is that they are picked up in detail, and
we lose thousands Of soldiers Az thi,
rate our whole army can be wiped out
and nobody hurt" 1t will have on,
good effect, perhaps, on the enemy, foi
when he sees that our troops can be SC
easily captured, he will certainly not de.
sire to XIII anybody! What humane
warfare this has become, when soldiers
surrender to prevent bloOdshodl Vigi.
lance, vigilance, vigilance, is what is de.
handed in the army. No army, how.
ever large, can be effective or formidable
without this quality. What commands
will set us all an example? We canno
afford to be diminishing the number o.
our troops and supplying the rebels viii
arms in the way we have been doing. Z