Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-02-25
'Long Grab, Pin : letter TO the, Fayetteville
Observer, from The. army of the Rappahannock,

e. 8 ~ t.4. = =
!" The first idea that OCCURS 10 man Of sense on
beholding great army in the exercise of Ill its op
eratiops IN active service is its enormous expense
Thousands Of officers and hundreds of thousands of
soldiers must be fed and clothed and provided With
medical aid, tents, cooking utensils, axes, spades,
desks, pspers pens, arms. equipments, ammunition,
drums, hassr wagons, horses, mules, forage, sad ,
dies, haiters harness, cannon, caissOns and ambu-
lsBces, ALL mast be paid Tor BY the government ut
high prices, Then oil property destroyed or appro.
prlated BY the army; freight. on stores and sup:
plies transportation for troops and for the sick
and discharged; rent Of buildings for hospitals.
ranging ia Richmond from, 500 70 8, 600 year,
forieach ware house or building used bountiss =
hospital attendants storss medicines and LIQUORS 81
together with exerbitant prices swndlng, forging,
speculatngtsAd ektrassganoe, foot up, an amount
truly astounding. It. makes one think that the
governmeat pocket is fqn Of holes through which
the money is going out and only one where It
comes in SO that ut period not very remote. there
msy be ''nary rcd ia the tilt VT is to be hoped
that rigid economy may be practiced in our at.
fairs, although efficiency be somewhat impaired
thereby. ~. -
Tents are now more numerous and to each one is
astck and dirt chimney, making it really comfort
able. The only way known or prscticed at the hrst
of the war; to have fire in tent was by means q
stove, but the chimney is an infinite improvement
hardly think it necessary to supply infantry with
oyercoats; thick stout Blanket Is much more val
liable. On the march, the soldier cannot carry his
overcast and other necessary equipments and has
often to throw 3 overcoat awsy. In battle, he
can seldom use nis overcoat, and consequently it
gets lost. While in camp, and by good fires he
Goes not need it. and if on picket or on other duty
he can easily tie his blanket around him, if it is
practicable to wear over garments, SO that his blan
ket, which.he is required to carry, will do on all
occasions in place of an overcoat we'll as to sleep
on think, both from experience and observation,
that thick wooden cravats are an injury rather than
. benefit to the soldier The ordinary clothing can
generally be SO arranged as to afford sufficient pro.
lection to the neck, while thick wooden wrapping
causes the pores of the neck and throat to become
open rendering that sensitive and vital part Of the
body more liable to disease from exposure. IL
would bs better to the material for gloves socks
and under clothing, which with blankets and gloves
are always most needed.
Among the many allusions to individual gallan.
try, see but little mention Of North Carolinians,
who deserve such compliments to the full extent
enjoyed by the troops Of any other State, as tho
following incident will show. have not yet heard
of any feat of individual bravery and GOODNESS more
worthy of admiration or indicative Of truer galan
try and chivalry. During the battle Of Fredericks
burg, Sergt Covington, of the pee Dee Guards"
Esd N. G. T., erd son Of DR. @. @. Covington, of
Rockingham, became separated from the regiment
and the rest of our aruy, when, being unarmed, he
met with two 4rmed Yankees, one Of whom imme
diatcly leveled his gun at Covingt"n, Who ordered
them to surrender, and called out Come on, boys,
here's two more prisoners" At the same instant
he seized one Yankees gun, who surrendered with
out firing, and then pointing the gun at the other
Yankee, he laid down his arms, aud surrendered
Also Covington quickly marched them off to the
regiment, first loading them with valuables and
provisions, the Yankees in the meantime being very
inqusitive as to where were the "other boys
They had gone some distance before they under
stood the matter. when they manifested very bitter
remorse and selfreproach at their own stupidity
and cowardice Serg't Covington was highly COM
pimented for his gallantry."