Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-09
FROM GEN. LEES ARMY.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE or THE Enquirer.
ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA.,

1
ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA.,
Oct. 5th 1863.
The situation is unchanged. The pickcts
of the enemy reach from point on the Rob
| inson river some distance above lis junction
! with the Rapidan down to Gcrmanna Ford
| and even further on towards Fredericksburg
Their army is scattered all over Cnlpcper
| county, good part of it being near Culperer
Court House at which point, it is said,
Meade's headquarters are located. Scouts
report that portion of the Yankee cavalry has
| certainly gone to reinforce Rosccrans, and
their drscrters say that there is no likelihood
Of our heing attacked by them. They further
say that, to prevent desertion, wbich is of
| every day occurrence, there is heavy rear us
well as front guard.
Our army is farorably situated; and let
Meade come when he will, warm reception
will greet him. Our men are receiving fur
tier supplies of comfortable clothing, and, on
the score of subsistence, are doing very we'll
Full rations of beef are issued during four
days. Of eac!, week, and bncon for the
other two days. This enables the men
no procure fat enough to cook their
bread Some of the brigade commissaries-
those who are moro fortunate than the rest
manage to save tallow enough to supply their
, commands with candles. We learn that the
commisaary of Cults battalion of artillery,
whose namo we do not know, manages to turn
the entrails into service by converting them
into soap, and thus securing enough of rhis
desirable article in his camp for the use Of bis
own command.
OF course the men are well fed, and, in the
main, comfortably cad-the only ARTICLES
. needed being shoes aud blankets. The first
article, am told, is much needed, and hone
. full supply will soon he sent the
mon Ivy voluntary contributions from those
portions Of. the country which have suffered
, least and made the most. Let not the brave
/! defenders of our country's honor be made TO
: feel the biting severity of frost and srow
upon their unprotected feet in land abound
ing III plenty, and they themselves fighting
for people whose only misfortune is super
abundance of means. And let not our peor!e
wait to see the foot tracks Of their brave de-
. tenders imprinted upon the snow. aud sleet
and ice of this rigorous wintry climate: but
! let contributions pour forth ut Cncc-contri-
/. buttons that may be grateful to the soldiers,
creditable to the donors, and honorable
to the country. Shoes are needed, and we
shall soon see if shoes arc forthcoming -
Blankets, too, IRE in great demand.
and the need must increase az the weather
grows colder. The noble women of the crun-
trv ought to send forward at once such sup
plies Of these articles as they can gather.
! Especially ought they to do this for those who
like Hays gallant Louisanians, faltercd not
though cut off from home and friends
and kindred. There is another subject
which, though n home matter, yet, as it
concerns the army, / will venture q word in
reference to it--l mean the question of taking
care of the families Of soldiers during the
coming winter. 1t is question Of deep and
vital Importance, and one that should CLAIM,
serious attention. 1t is idle to expect that our
soldiers. brave as they are and patrir' as they
have been, will be cheerful or bold if the
wives of their bosoms. the children of their
loins and the parents of their infancy are per-
mittcd to suffer, whilst they themselves are
nobly doing and daring to save the cause ard
the substance Of those who are boarding their
, wealth, and enabled to protect ii by the
sacrifices of the men in the field. Now,
aure than ever, to be successful, this
must be q common cause or else ell
| may be lost. The farmer and the merchant,
whose property has been protected and whose
Golfers have been filled, must divile with the
wives of the soldiers who have been fighting
, ties Of the country, or all must be involved in
hopeless ruin
The recent executions for deserIions have
exerted most salutary influence, for good
upon the army. and desertions now quite
rare. In addition to the COOL which has been
done IN checking this evil. it has worked well in
bringing back numbers. who otherwise world
never. probably, have returned 10 their cons
| mands.
M"sby has again been doing gallant work. He
has heen on raid within two miles of Alexandria,
capturing some thirty Federal prisoners, who are
on their way here He has also, it is reported.
burnt bridge over tho Orange and Alexandria
Railroad. at Cameron Run, within two miles Of
that place Col. Dnlaney, of the Fifth Virginia
Infantry now on duty as Gen. Pisrpont's aid.
was captured on Friday night, and has been
tured him, was DIS own son. MoSby also cap
tured several other prominent Union men.
There are no indications of active operations
FROM TEXAS.
The annexed congratulatory order from
Ger. Magruder to the army of Texas will l'e
read with interest. The gallant little
garrison of Sabine Pass" has administered 10
the enemy severe rcpuse:
IpoRs. Dist. OF TEXAS, New
Mexico AND ARIZONA,
Houston, Texas, Sept. Q, 1868.
General Orders, No. -.
|. The Major General Commanding has the
satisfaction of announcing to the army Il bril-
liant victory, won by the little garrison OF Sabine
! Pass against the fleet of the enemy. Attacked
by five gunboats, the fort, mounting but three
guns of small calibre, and manned by the Da-
| Wis Guards, Lieut.. R. NJ. Bowling, assisted sy
Lieut.. Smith, of the Engineers, supported hy
about two hundred men-the whole under
command of Capt. +. II. Odlum-steadily re-
sisted their FIRE, and at last forced the snrren-
der Of the two guuboata, Clifton and Sachcn,
badly crippling another, which, with the
| others, escaped over the bar. The result of
this gallant achievement is the capture of two
! fine gunboats, fifteen heavy guns, over two
hundred prisoners, among them the Commo-
! dore of the feet, and over fifty of the enemy
! killed and wounded; while not man was lost
! on our side or u gun injured
II. The enemy's feet, with his land forces.
is still off the coast, no doubt intending a
| landing at the first favorable moment. He
| may endeavor to retrieve his losses at Sabine
! BY an attack upon the works at other points
on the coast Should this be the case, the
! Major General Commanding confidently e1-
poets to receive from his troops at those points
as cheering a report as that which lie now
| communicates to the army from the defenders
] Of Sabine.
| III. The result Of the engagement had with
! the enemy's feet on the coast Of Texas proves
! that true pluck and resolution are qualities
| which make up for disparity of metal aud
| numbers; and that no position, dHfended with
; determination, can be carried by the enemy''
gunboats alone. Should any of the forts on
/ the coast, or the forces on land, be attacked,
the troops need but remember the success OF
! their comrades at Sabine, emulate their cour-
age and skill, and ,ictory will lie the result
| By command Of Maj. Gen. j. Bankhead
| Magruder.
EDAUND B. Turner, A. A. Gen.
Official: H. P. PRATT, A. a. Gen.
| Iandnnn Dan,nt Trans.M