The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-12-23

ARMY Of NoRrHsRN VIRGINIA,
Dec. 2lst, 1859.
"eannot be any longer matter Of concealme,,
suppose, that Major General EARLY has been NJ
signed 70 the command Of the Valley Denar,mcr, y,
VI Virginia, with his headquarters At a,aun,oa.
IN nj" absence the command Of Geu, Z. "a dlv,.to.
~ia devolve upon Senior Brgadier Harry n. Hares
VI tue Louisiana brigade. Gen. Early Il pecu,tarIv
fitted for this position, and will doubtless
the duties OF his new place with cset to hl,o.e,l
and accepiabiiisy to The country.
i.t.-Ccl. Corlcy, Chief Quaucrmastes nf tb,
army 10 now absent ON sixty days' furlnusl,.
cos C. h. nsose excellent aud eficicsa oficex ma
mas been constant, In and out Of season in
the discharge Of the duties Of bis position In his
Temporary absence Major Harmon, ofG-n. Ewell's
corps, Is Acting Chief Ouartrrmaster Of The army
and Capt. A. NJ. CARRIER, of Staunton, assistant 10
Major Harmon, Chief 0uarfermaster of EwclIs
corps, Is aow Acting Chief Quav,ermaster of tha,
corps.
congress, am told, will, in all probability, at
It's present session, create the office Of Provost
MARSHAL General for this army. II such be its ac-
uoh, trust shall be pardOned for speaking ia
vofahiy OF Major Bridgford, Of Richmond, who has
been acting In that capacity for the last ten months
tie VIII be candidate for the post, and Is recon-
mended by Gems. EweIi, A. +. Iiiil, Rodes. Early
and o!her leading Generals and officers of the
army
The Chaplains of this army held a meeting nj
Orange e. on Friday. Most Interesting reports
were made, which show a high state of religious
feeling throughout the amy. To that sainted hero
the immortal Jackson, Is due much IL not all of
the present system by which the ClIaplains In our
army are enabled To do SO much good. And, hy
the way, let me say. that my firm conviction Is,
that the great success Of this army Is due to the
religious element which reaches every corner of
IL; whilst, on the other hand, am very much dis
posed to fear, from what ! have beer told by oft-
Gers who have served In the Army of Tennessee,
that the lack of success Of that army is due I'm a
large measure to the want Of religious influence
upon the troops
Dennis Drisco,l, Of Marmaduke Johnson's bat
terry, from Richmond, Va, was executed at noon
Friday by shooting, for the crime of desertiOn.--
His wife came up and took charge of his body and
took il To Richmond for interment. Another sad
warning to those who leave their country and
standard without permission. The time was when
Gen. Ice was disposed to look isniently on this
kind of conduct. That time has now passed how
ever, and | believe that every sentence will be
rgidly carried into execution.
An amusing Incident occurred yesterday at the
Provost Marshal's office. Four Quakers were
bra raught In al c0nscripts from LoudOun. They
were ordered TO fall i'm the ranks, In order to be
marched 10 the command to which they were 10 be
assigned. They refused, saying ''We will not fall
in, but Will follow whittier sOever thou eadest."-
A few persuasive Arguments, however, in the
shape of thrasts with bayonets, changed their
opinions, and they fell In and marched of camp.
There Is a comparative lu in all military opera
tions and but little likelihood of any active opera
ti0ns very shortly. y.