Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-05-14
Gully appeal.
ENoM ouE EVENING EDITION OF YESTERDAY.
LETTER FROpI RICHMOND.
Special Correspondence of the Memphis Appeal
RICHMOND. MAY 3. Is6

Special Correspondence of the Memphis Appeal
RICHMOND, May 2, 1862
Ii / have more than once Of late referred TO
the alarming mortality which prevails n the military
hospitals Of this city IL with full knowledge that
the sutject was most painful one and only because
conceived that EsdCa change ought to be made in
the system Of treating the -iok soldiers, whose claims
upon our notice are OF the highest and most sacred kind
It does seem So distressing that now, the earth burst
ing forth into beauty beneath the otinAueuces Of spring
and not even the deselaon Of war itself can repress the
universal smile OF nature. 60 many Of the young the
gallant the noble sons Of the South should be going down
TO the long winter Of the grave that the most careless
eud inssusibe must inquire if nothing be done TO
diminish this fearful aggregate OF deaths Last sumner
when the first 1f The wounded nen Of battles vas
brought Richmond, and The ordinary camp diseases
made their earliest appearance in the hundreds Of
around the city private hospitals established here
accommodating greater or less number Of patients.
which gentle ladies attended with undertaking regularity.
week after week. minister the relief Of the suffering
nmats Some Of these private hospita had beds for
seventy five sick men 10 all Of them, the food and
noursAmen provided prepared in the houses Of the
lady attendants and without expense the Confederate
States In al them. he utmost cleanliness main
aimed and cheerful helps for the convaeseen such
books, aud newspapers and flowers. were introduced
The number Of deaths in these volunteer zzats0Rs ie
Slate very small In proportion TO the number of pa
ueuIs compared with the moruary statistics Of the
public hospitals and the which waited upon the
efforts OF the ladies to do good and the gratifying
scioUsness o. az they fe accomplishing good work. led
the increase Of the private establishments in all parts
OF thc city BUt suddenly there went fOrsh order
from the War Department that the private hospitals
must be cosed-that all this irregular benevolence and
unofficial unle vitcal Il protest do not this Last
ri ectlYe as a Cling az r Beniamin) philanthropy
doing great Inchef-that the soup of the Samaritan
rer w too rich aud the general character their sys
fem too indugent Al the soldiers 60 into the pub
lie wards Whersupon the States established hospitals
Of their here, Texas and south Carolina and Louis
lana ana Georgia institutions under liberal patronage
and excellent management 1 can speak Of my owIfS3
know the Georgia hospital in which Nicep Pres
tlent StcI hens manifested interest and which
was attended for a time by ladies inspired with the
trues. patriotism and the tenderest humanity,
The Confederate government also enlarged its general
hospitals and opened rev ones, which the ladies of
Richmond and OF other southern cities sojourning here
visited volunteer nurses until the utter mpossibty
Of keeping the houses clean. Of enforcing anything
Ike d=cency among the inmaies constrained them re-
lucautly withdraw So that the poor soldier now
tie public hospital, dependent upon the attentions
Of hired lorg since grown calous to suffering
with no one % say 20 him friendly word bestow on him
pleasant smi but his physician. chance com.
miftee Of Christian society who braves the Rtmos-
phere Of the building upon an elTand oi mercy. God
help him. poor fellow as think Of him. read lie Feyre
and Nv Uncle Toby, nd that yet simply pathetic
L rative Of one VINO lay BY ihc waysde bruised and
bleeding and wi-h that the regulations of the Depart.
meut did render tending him comfort ami sympathy
30 improper and SO difficult of the condition Of the
general hospitals 'he present time your correspondent
say nothing from personal observation but the fact
that the stencil which issues from One, situated upon the
finest in Richmond has arrested ths nostris and
notice of his honor the Mayor and the other sadder
fact that the inmates dying the Of three hun
irsd and dfty vesk would force upon the convo-
ton that they must Je dreadfuly misnanaged,
frfsbe and unclcar l have written more than In
tcnded this matter. bU the sight of the hearse and
the two three attendants every time 90 into the
street. compels me tc think-of il very much
No battle yet in the Peninsula, though It is new
s8td the shock cannot be postponed beyond two three
days am ncre duious There is O belief in some cir
ces here that JohnstonE purpose was TO bring
INN
the command q fot might ago but that he has been
restrained by the President This may be pure inag
inatoE. but it has an air Of probability Day before
yesterday heavy ire vas opened upon the works at
yorktown by the Sect and the land batteries combined
and was continued for hours without serioEs dam
age L Is stated that Mcclellan had succeed in
landing and that the transports from West Point with
provisions not able s make ther usual discharge
consequence but tcat they slcceeaed IL doing this
under cover OF night
Should tEis statement prove c0rTeSJ another wharf
must he bult higher mp tie river, if the army 70 re-
main OrSt0yI, but such structure will be rendered
unnecessary, in my judgment t te falling sGcs %
s-r1-c f,rcs 5r5Ed TIC CkjcsUt04y, for which have
reason 70 believe the necessary atoms have already
teou made Indeed The enemy has been permitted TO
close around rs so nearly t1a the lie and death struggle
for the Confederate capital Will probably be made with
n sight of il towers and steepes
We get. to-day, a auEee account Of the taking Of Z
New Oregus which claims without giving the paTiie-
llar that The forts Jackson and St Philip demol
she'd that the Louisiana sunk. aud that the city
sken without the firing Of gun Nc mention made Of
INV des.I uCtiOn Of cotton.
L7-c-Ss Of this all sbe manufactured tobacco n The
y was seizs7, yesterday by tie government and
Tered 10 be Immediately stored in large warehouses
,Srned In csse tho necessity should arise, The
scuT-i tobacco storage here is principally the prop
riy Of French aud German purchaser Not less than
fifteen thousand hosheads belonging to European houses
ire thus held up.
wildly improbable shat dc not think them worth men