Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-05-05
April pa, 1863.
For the Standard.
For the Standard.
HEADQUARTERS 6lsT RECT. N. c. TRooPs,
James Island, 8. g., April %.

James Island, ). T., April 70.
". r. Holden, Esq:
DEAR Sm:-In the Observer of last week there
was an editorial notice. representing upon the au-
thority of gentleman recently from the lsland)
that the soldiers composing Clingman's brigade
were actually suffering for the want oil something
to eat. Such ali announcement as this, clothed IN
so much earneStness ard sincerity as given by the
editors OF the Observer is calculated to give all OF
our friends at home great deal of trouble.
l. Immediately wrote to the Observer, and gave
the facts. As the Standard probably has the larg-
est circulation Of any other paper in the State,
have request of you to publish this letter, hoping
that every person who has friend or acquaintance
in this brigade may see it. In the first place, the
following the rations receive for hundred
men:
100 pounds of beef Tor 25 pounds of bacon and
30 pounds of sugar in lieuO l25 pounds of meal,
S7i pounds OF grits (smal hominy,) 10 pounds of
rice, pounds of sugar, pound of candles,
poun0s Of soap, 4! pounds of salt.
From this, every can see for himself that we
are i'll no danger Of starving. The men Of the 6lst
regiment are in extraordinarily good health and con-
dition. If they were all sick, none could attribute
their sickness to a want of something to eat.
In the Observer of the 23d see a collection has
been made by the people of Fayetteville for the
suffering volunteers from Cumberland county, now
near Charleston, amounting in money and bacon
(at 50 cents per pOund) TO S340S 30. The editors
say the list has not been completed. The follow
morning:
THE SOLDIERS RATIoSs.
JAMES lSLASp, April %.
10 the Editors Gf TIC Mercury There was a
| notice in the Fayetteville Observer short time
since, relative to the ratiOnS given to Clingmans
! brigade N. Q. 4. You state in your paper of this
J. morning that the informant of the Observer was
wrong. Please permit Inc to say that said inform
! ant had reference to the 5lst regiment, and
right-a fact that can be substantiated by thous-
J and honest but empty stomachs.
We have been living (rather staying) for some
time on ttoo ounces az meat per day; but it is not
| South Cardinals fault, neither do we blame her.
! We have found the fault and q remedy. Our brig
ade commissary is the man who has so sorely tested
our abilities to live without eating though SUD-
pose he was saving it to give US feast. At all
| events, he has acknowledged the corn and handed
0rer the meat, (the back rationS) and we are too
proud to claim kin with anybody, even a first class
| commSSary. S
In this, blame is attached to the brigade commits
sary, Mao Gage. 1t is due to Major Gage to state
that at the time these too ounce rations were issued
| he was unable to attend to any business owing to
serious fall from his horse. His business was at
! tended to by a servant. 1t seems to me that the
fault should rest with the commissary of the 5 st
regiment, or the person acting such, the Office
of commissary is vacant, and not with Major Gage.
If they had no commissary, Major Gage was not to
| blame for it.
A regimen;al commissary is presumed to know
| what the men are entitled to, and If he docs and
fails to draw what can be had there's no one to
blame but himself If there had been any necessity
for the very liberal subscriptions of the people of
Fayetteville for the relief Of the suffering soldiers
near Charleston, it would have read very well, but
! as it is, it does not read well at all.
| If the people Of Chatham County have taken
any steps to relieve my suffering company, hope
they will go no further. | am happy to state to
them that we getting along very we'll, and we
would all feel much better satisfied il we knew that
there was soldiers wife or child at home no
worse provided for than we are. At present, there
! is need of any subscriptions being taken up in
our behalf. Those of our friends at home who are
willing to do a great deal for as let them rather
look around them and see if they can't find soldiers
wives widows and children, who are in a suffering
| condition. You cannot provide for them too we'll
Visit weekly, and daily, if necessary, and let them
| want for nothing.
What you may send to the soldier here, he may
! forget. but what you do for his wife and child
at home, he can nerer forget Above all things for
Gods sake, don't pretend to do great deal for the
soldiers, while at the same time you may be grow
ing rich by your extortions upon their helpless and
needy families.
In conclusion, then, l urge upon our friends at
home, to take good of the women and children
left behind by our brave soldiers. Their must be
prOuided for If they not, The day of retribu.
ton will come Don't give yourselves any trouble
about US. Well sound the alarm when there's any
necessity for it,
Very truly yours, &C.,
N. A. RAMSAY, Capt,
'.. Co. D., 6lSt N C. T.