Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-10
NUMBER 35.

be vague, but In July last the port Of the Confederate
cetary Of War, alresdv quoted fepored "lsO reri.
ments and S2 battalons" (he latr probably artillery
a, having -n ped into tie service which imI lad
that they we're con pete 30 that ct the casual.
ties Of war; at least 200 900 Of their troops have hsd
advantage of service since ih & time. The battle Of
Il assas took place on the 2lst Of Jls and while
large portion Of the Federal army sas dh binded after
that date and Of but slowly placed ts Coined.
crate troops Who fought there ard At Big Bethel" as
recruits hav, been constantly dr led, have been
perform ng all the duties Of army fore the enemy,
aud still animated by the memories OF those vclo
res. How raw some of them were al MAJ asaas may bs
imagined from the fact that battery which hot
engaged, and is said to have doue good service had
never before fired ball. aud that battalion of Lous-
ans) stood lis ground for hours against repeated at
acks. though it had OILY been few days organized.
Further the Southern forcs is possessed Of ell ments
n strength which miet conpensste for greater
cal disparity II Is commanded beyond all question by
the most talented officers Of the late United States ar
my Few without actual military experience hold the
command even Of brgsdes,-,nd very young West
Poiut tfcers" hold considerable commands which, but
for the Jealousy Of the Sou! public Of civilian COM
mlndeis might have been given, 10 the North, 10 in-
hiencia politicians. While Generel n Ilellan himself,
great as his abilities admitted to be, never held
command and had before the separation of the States
rstred to civil appointment at least twenty of the
Confsd rate generals brgsder field officers OF
the late United States army, and eight ten others
commanded brigades in the Mexican war. Hitherto
their tsccs have hardly been chargeable with blupder
while in many instances their plans have been eminent.
ly we'll laid and successful
Nothing is more conspicuous than the confidence dis
played by the army in It's generals. When every sol.
dier Is something Of politician, seems to understand
the features Of the Southern case and to be acquainted
with the geography and the objects OF the campaign ii
IL emarkAble TO find universal belief In the prudence
and foresight Of the commanders In all the great CON-
mands on the Potomac, where are johnson comman-
dsr-in.chief BesuregarG- and Smith At the head Of
IL. IA htn- in LanfpnI L. ~harA
other Johnston, Buckner, aud another quarter Zoi
coar-st Norfolk, where is Huger-at Yorktown, where
is NGruder-in Missouri, where Price and M'Culoch,
such feeling is constantly exprt sSsd aud this cont.
jence appears TO be mutual, the generals relying
their men. There seems among the superiors to be
assurance resting upon prearaions completed on troops
wiling orderly, and improving-or past successes aud
what Is believed to be patriotic The army
itself to bs understood must be and inspected
Roughly irregu'ary often quantity clothed not unlike
certain British army whose clothing vas little long
delayed, but with something like solderly appearance
with bright and generally well carried arms, alert
duty, very rapid on the march-they do not look like
men to be readily subdued The cavalry consists OF
men accustomed constant horsemsnship; they gene
rally bring their horses into the service aud their
3titude is proved by the rapdy and accuracy of the
movements OF strong squadrons quite lately formed
Even Northerucrs admit the superior discipline Of the
UonfederIs as shown in respecting the property near
which they are QIarteted. We ourselves how tho
country in the neighborhood Of their camps bore
marks Of spoliaton ard in instances, sorry
to say 10 which, when it fell into the hands OF the 9TH
or side the most wanton aQd cruel destruction eDsued.
TIC army certainly in Virginia and, believe, eve
rywhera Is plentiuly fed the difficulties Of provision
ing reported by Northern papers are visionary. Two
counties Of Virginia alone have meat enough 10 supply
the armies for yesrs; and even during October,
when il had occupied the district for four months,
the animals destined for Is supply we're driven into
camp from no great distance The harvest has been
ha nj in Rch ia hut
Of that Of last year and the gifts OF food which
sent 10 soldiers from their friends often numerous
~ TO exceed the power OF the railways to convey
them.
Inaction il the bate noir Of the Confederate soldier,
Who h,s come very often from the far south and
with the idea of carly conflict with the invader. He
welcomes the comparative excitement OF the three days
outpost duty, performed in turn by regiments detailed
one from each OF a certain number OF srigides and
petitions often made 10 have the period extended
Their nscton has caused much scknes' chiefly measles
which attacked especially accustomed to wholesome
country fe-the maHgs srjsts OF New Orleans being
the healhest. These usually left the GONZALES
cent week and predispcsed 10 low aud sometimes ty-
phoid fevers During the early autumn the Confederate
| hospitals crowded but now the epidemics have
ceased, and every report OF an expected engagement
brings hundreds of convsescens TO the front Az the
probability of renewed fighting becomes greater, even
the sick 90 luctsntly 10 the rear by the railway.
The moyeabity of the army deserves notice. Each
brigade can strike lis camp and pack its baggage on its
cuts in twenty minutes; change Of camp by some OF
the brga'es il often msieso that, concealed by the
partially esIed Forest its enemy knows not from dsy
10 day how far it, Inks extend Though lees numerous
probably than the Federal army opposed IT, The Coz
federate commandes, As We have already remarked,
have the faculty OF directing certainly sufficient
the Federas say superior force " every point attack
ed.
Bu, the most interesting feature In this ar.
my Is its composition. ln the f's. place, 1t ID
composed almost entirely Of Americans. In lie ranks,
AS su0arlens aud prvates to be found many
men OF wealth aud good social position serving from .
sense of the necessity for united national sxerton, and
cheerLly performing every duty. rough-looking
try orderly With officers horse often proves 10
be man with land and property Of his own, whom
you might have met few months since In the ball
room or opera.
There Al many companies, troops, and batteries, In
Whose ranks stand the at whose expense they have
baen formed and horsed and srmed-free gifts 10 the
S.ate-men Of great wealth, whose fs has been Of
accepting the osest pos in the service Of their State.
Mothers sendiug every whose age enables him 10
bear arms 10 the war, without regret . paDgwhole
| families side by side. mother At Richmond, whose
son bad gone for 'mpoyment had ceased TO
lament his sbsense but WHEN the war broke out, and
he returned enlist Ia the Virginia Contingent she
him 90 without a Almost every one has son at
least or brother in the army, but does not hear OF
auxeties or fears Il IT, ''if the enemy beat them We
must 20 too" There battery covering the rail-
ssy bridge at Munforjsyile, Kentucky in which the
captain is the poorest man, aId many OF the cannonie3
wealthy planters. They have mounted their battery
with eight rh ID guns, Eorsei it. and serve without cost
to the Sa,s Similar is the origin Of the Wshng.
ton battalion our biteries) Of artillery forming part
f the army OF the Potomac. SO VT New
orleans raised one 10 which he serves private. Moi
Y-d Louisiana raiseda company at his own eI.
p,nss, AID is m ot in the regiment into which it vss
mustered. II, six plsn,tirns, and near 1000 De'
gro and lea,e them all These not thought eI'rs-
1rdriry instanc here. Men subscribe 10000 ~ OOO,
10000 dollars TO The Stats loan. General C---of4he
Confederate Army repute to be worth " oooooo ana
to 1900 say as banded his whole income
to the service of the Conederacy retaining but modest
subsistence for himself Aud it must be Remembered
.h.t in case Of the conquest Of the soun not only 10
the l,an worthless bu. the South are made liable oy the
Avs o, the IT, Congress for share In the Northern
debt-the cost OF their own defeat
.;,. ,b. co,hin1 of the army Causes but q slgbt