The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1863-04-01
The Wants of Our Soldiers.

w would QlrecL SpeClal attention. 70 Tie lol-
| lowing communication. The truth of the remarks
of our correspondent most certainly be apparent
to every ONE Vicksburg Wing.
| Ed Wing | desire to make a suggestion to
! all concerned in the welfare Of the noble army
defending Vicksburg There is great want of
| provisions i'll this army. As you remark this
morning, there is much need here OF pork and
| beef | am credibly informed that there are
whole regiments around the city who have gone
| two weeks without a single ration OF meat OF
| any kind. The distress and the depredltions
/ upon private property, consequent upon such a
/ state OF things, must he great But the want OF
other necessares Of life is felt still more in our
! hospitals. There are two agents trying to OBJ
tain food for the sick ii the hospitals, and still
the stewards cannot depend entirely upon their
purchases, as they are inadequate to supply them
| from day to day. This is owing to the distance
! these agents have to go, and the difficulty OF
transportation; and the stewards find it inpos-
s.ble to obtain any supplies in the market. except
! il small quantities and ut the most cXorMtant
/ prices Under these circumstances is 1t not rea-
/ sonably to be expected that all army officers en-
trusted with the duty of providing for the soldiers
would be diligent in their daily efforts? And
ought not citizens Of this county who have any
articles of food for sale, make it point to sell
! first the hospitals, and at reasonable prices? ?
| There are some evils in connection with the pre-
| sent state of things Isit not highly improper
for leading officers here in town to be occupying
! their time in such festivities as have prevailed
| at night during this week? Look at the cost Of
such occupations the cost to those concerned,
! and especially the cost to the army and tie ma
ton. At each one o. thesese joyous occasions,
the turkeys must cost from five dollars to six dol!
lars. the eggs one dollar and fifty cents per DO
! zen, and everything else in proportion; and as
| for the champagne, and other beverages needtul
! they must cost fabulous prices. New, OF course
| every officer has right 70 use his own money as
! he pIeases, but we have right also to put every
plea on the ground of patriotism, and | ask,
| would these officers not inspire more confidence
and courage in the soldier, if the soldiers could
see them appropratng this surplus capital in
| some way to benefit them or promote their vel
| fare? It cannot be plead, as it was last summer
and fall, that these parties are given TO cheer
UP the soldiers" land it was very poor cheer
the soldiers realised them for the common SOL
diers" are not of course, invited. Then the
consumption Of the turkeys and chickens, and
eggs &C., by these parties" "a polite term for
revelings,) is working an injury to the soldiers,
| by raising the prices on them and by destroying
! the supply Then the moral effect on the army
| is evil-it demoralizes and lessons the confidence
/ of the soldiers in their officers.
| It is matter Of modification that officers en-
trusted with the defense of this GibralteTo of the
South should indulge in any practices calculated
| to lose the confidence of the army, aAd to lose
| it's moral power. The very night the Indianola
passed our citv some Of the high officials were
!. trimming the light fantastic toe" with some OF
! the ladies who have not tx n Gen. Pemperton 5
advice to leave town; and on Sunday lest the
people received the impression from certain
movements ofoficers that an attack was expect
| ed in forty-eight hours, and yet piping ana
| dancing" have been the order Of the night Tor
every night this week, and the day had to be oc-
cupied in all the little arrangements for the
night O! is this not sad mockery OF the SIC
rifices. the hopes and the fears Of the people Of
/ this CITY and this State, and OF the distress and
/ want felt in army, and especially In our nos
| ptas? There is time for ali things, but surely
VicIssburo is not the place, nor is this the time,
! for reveling9 and banquetings. How can we eX-
| pect Il HOLY God to bless our arms with victory
! when our c{&ief men in authority are provoking
! His wrath every day? Of Al! people on earth,
we ought to fear God most, and strive most to
avoid His displeasure and secure His fay or How
T3heartenng it is to sit in the sanctuary Of God,
listening to the earnest and atTectt0nate appeals
Of His ministers to the sol r. to consccratc them
selves to God, and TO hear the sounds OF music
rlayed to the dance not two hundred yards away,
with the reflection that there are the officers III
command of our defences, giving themselves up
to merriment and levity right in The faco Of q
cruel hearted and rel LteS5 savage enemy who
i. constantly plotting our destruction? o that
our officers would lend their influence in favor
of serious thought, and would Sctan example OF
devotion to Almighty God! And to The ladies
who are giving encouragement 20 the91 tiIlng1 ,
what can be said? How do they know but that
at the very moment they are the most light heart
and wayward. a brother or other near relative III
the army is ag0msing on a bed OF sickness III
,.omn or hospital deprived Of the little comforts
Of life, among strangers, pinihg away 10 death
and irving to iiatter himself that that sister or
friend is then thinking Of him? How do they
know but at that very moment that friendis be-
ino launched into eernjty? And there they are
sporting with suffering and death, mocklng tue
creams and signs and piteOus cries Of starving
and diving soldiers, as they long for food or heip
and consolation? @! how can the women OF the
Confe,Ieracy give themselves to such festivities,
spch thoughtlessnes~? They surely cannot un-
drrsttnd tile sufIerjngs of the brave men who
have LETT All to defend their honor and their vlr-
80, IF any one officer or citizen, lady or
sran 5pr-yjshcs 10 see the real condition Of he
army around Vicksburg. let him, let her go to
the bosnitals. 90 TO the camps, If any has any
money to contribute to champagne trolIcs, let
him consider. let him ask himself il he 20 I'D not
be more protited himselfaud give more happI-
ness where II il most needed by spending 1t Tor
something to eat for the soldiers
The truth is it will require all our resources
and powers Of production to feed and clothe our
Ill