Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-04-18
HAS MEMPHIS DONE IT'S DUTVs

HAS MEMPHIS DONE ITs DUTXe
l. Is a common thing for strangers, ON ar
irving in this city. TO express surprise at the
large numbers of men, out of uniform, they
meet with in the streets They have Just al
rived frsm little town, or village, that has pat
riotically put forth It's strength and sent out ITS
sons to the war. The place for weeks before
they left was in a blaze of enthusiasm, and eT
N,itement was at fever height. They arrive at
Memphis, and see hundreds of persons daily
thronging the streets, who bear about them no
mark Of connection with military affairs they
also hear the topics OF the day discussed with
dispassionate calmuess, and to their eye-just
dazze5 with the brilliant and certainly honor
able display OF the patriotism of the sD0t they
have left--the people with whom they come in
contact in Memphis appear cold and Indifferent
Strangers reaching this city, under these cir
cumstances, not Uncommonly complain that
Memphis is apathetic and that it is behind in
the discharge Of its duty. Volunteers arriving
here-fuIl of tine zeal that rises when the uni
form is first put on, aud the musSet first han
dled-have been head TO exclsim: " We came
to fight for Memphis, but size does not fight for
herselfl' 80
This complaint Is made sometimes IN sorrow,
sometimes in anger, but as it is often made with
a c6nviction Of its accuracy. it is desirable that
the real state of the ease should be known. 1t
is true that the fiery enthusiasm which exists ID
a town, or village, on the departure OF a large
number of its citizens for the scene OF wsT, is
net to be found efervescing daily in our streets
When our FIRST companies were raised and lett
the citv. we were not deficient in our display OF
this oualitv. Our men shouted as loud, and our
lady patriots waved their handkerchiets as
eagerly. as can be done anywhere Enthusiasm
is an effervescence, that among people bent on
carrying out grave purpose, settles down TO q
feeling Of calm, but intense and earnest dete--
miuation Memphis has arrived at that Poiuf.
Enthusiasm is like the dazzling rocket that ri4@
sparkling through the air; the stern resolve Of an
intelligent people resembles the cannon bal
which presents little that is taking to the eye,
but accomplishes its purpose with deadly en-
ergv. 1t is also TO be remembered that the mil
itary display that SO attracts the notice Of the
stranger, and so profoundly moves him, is a
daily spectacle in our streets, and has ceased to
be novel So much for what has been mistaken
for cold feeling. We have next to notice the
charge, that while people have their homes to
fight for Memphis, Memphis does not fight ior
itself
The stranger enter-lg our city and PGomena-
ding the streets, Is nct uunaturally surprised to
find so many persons walking about lingering
at the street corners, in the hotel pariors' and
about public places. having apparently little or
no occupation. vet being, for anything tine spec
tator can discover, unconuected with the army
We FIRST call the strangers attention te the fact
that he Is necessarily unable to tell whether the
crowds he meets in the streets are principally
citizens OF tlie place, or whether they are mostly
strangers; he generally supposes that, with
small exceptions they are Memphis people Tins
supposition Is erroneous. Our city has for some
time been in the neghborhOod Of sctlye
operations; this has caused an influx Of
all sorts of persons having business with
the camps or on a visit to friends IN the army
Il is also the resort Of refugees from
Kentucky, Missouri Nashville, and all that
mart Of Tennessee now invaded by the enemy.
Here ordnance stores, clothing, artillery, pro
visions, etc, have been obtained, forwarded or
made for the army Here transportation, quar-
termasters, ordnance, an@~etheT government
Offices are located, and many plafes for recruit
ing have been opened HeSaAeL Legislature has
met, and here state and county business, and
business connected with the Confederate States,
has been transacted Here also persons on
travel arrive in large numbers by river and rail-
road. and the interruption of the ordinary regU-
larity of transit, frequently detains people here
for days, who, in ordinary times, would rema'A
but few hours, or simply pass on without
stopping.
Let the reader class ia his mind clerks, me-
cbaujcs. shipbuiders, laborers, and the many
hangers-ou' that are always near an army
psssing backward and forward, and be can
easily imagine that We must necessarily at th's
time-with active operations at Fort Pillow on
one side Of us, auda at Conuth ON the other, be-
side our connection with what has been done up
the White and Arkansas rvers-have an uH'-
sual influx of strangers not only arriving and
departing. but remaining iu our midst. A large
portion of these, although IN government ser
vice and connected with tire army, wear no uni-
forms, and are taken for civilians. We may
slso remark that when members Of the army,
belonging in ths city, are here on iuriough or on
business, it is usual for them, W hen not directly
on service to put aside the attire of the camp,
and appear in public in their ordinary dress.
We tbink tire stranger disposed 20 censure the
,,eople Of Memphis, who reads this, viii acknowl
edoe that tie matter now appears under differ
.pt aspect. For the coaectness of our state
mant we would. in ihe 6rst place, refer the
reader to the hotel registers He win find
that throughout the winter, the arrivals have
been immense, much larger than when the city
WAS Oman TO travel to aud from tine whole United
states By inquiry Of the hotel clerks Ia.
will 6nd that frequently t1e Gayoso, "orsham
and other hotels, have been compelled to sens
away all who arrived after nine o'clock IN thu
evening. In the second place, we would ask th'
eensorious. especially if they have visited Mem
phis before. to look in at our banks, Offices
stores, and couutiug-rooms, anu observe no"
few clerks and assistants are at work, compared
with what is usual Even tae entire strange
cannot help being struck when his attention Is
called to this; to those who knew the city before
the late changes, the difference viii be startling
Iy perceptble We might mention other mat
ters. but the above viii amply sufics to convince
the candid mind. that the number Of Memphis
people now in Memphis Is very much less tnal
Is usual. while the number Of strangers present
IN Memphis is much more than usual
We had thought Of speaking of the vast pro
portion Of our male population who have iorsazen
their usual occupations tor the fields and oI
,,.- r 81, ,.,,,,,,,z contributions that have