Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-05-09

!
We have in the South. a certain class Of b.
poebOndriacs (if sUeh torn may ba applied D
men) who are everything on the dark side who
imagine thst cur cause is getting Desperate, and
who are apparently never so happy as when
they are prsting about the ''dire extremes" %
which our people aud armies heFs been reduced
For the benefit OF this class Of patriots, Who
appear to be willing in spiril, but who ere ez-
eesdingly weak in the flesh" We propose a
short reeUrrencs to some Of the trials Of the
Continental army of the Revelation
It is Of authentic record thst the little army
under Washington, during ths winter IF rs,
fought and won two important battles (Assun-
pink ard Princoton,) end marched over thirty
miles Of the most desperately muddy road in
New England, within the space Of thirty hours
and that too, upon less than quarter rati0ns, aud
when most of those brave men had not closed
their eyes in sleep for nearly forty eight haursl
The grand sifes Of some Of rs were In his
heroic struggle, but Of eoUrse were thsv living
now, their deals Of valor snd heroic sndurancs
would be entirely eciipsed By orr soldiers under
johnson and PsmAsgion, who have upon ous OK
two occasions been pat upon haf ra.iOns aud
corn bread
In Dscsmber 1779, a tirus when stsrvati0n
aud ruin sesmed the inevitable los of the ''rsb-
els, we read where tw7thirds Of the colonial
army were without Shoes" where So two pounds
OF bacon was the allowance 70 a soldier fer ten
days" aud where, "for Eve days" they had
received neither bread nor meat, but bad to
su5sist on raw corn meal" (uot having time b
bske it into 5rssl), and when the soldiers @wers
so enfeebed from hunger and cold IS 20 b
almost unable 70 perform their military duty, Or,
when winter quarters were taken up, 10 labor iR
constructing their huts."
But we occasionally have 1olorous tales about
the depreciation Of our currency, and The con-
segment suffering smeug tl5 Drivs'ss in cur
army who receive oniy slevsu dollass per month
During the wiater Of 1880 it IS said By the his
tOrian that thirty silver d0llsgs woEs worth
IS much as one Thousand continental 1a.l7--s
Another author Of high rsputs, says: Forty
paper dollars were worth only one IN spseis' .
An old newspaper, published AZ thas time in
Jew jersey, e7niains a s Memorial Of ths
officers Of the Jersey brigade 20 the Lsgisls-
ture, IN which they state that 90 four months
pay OF private VIII E0t prucura bis wrstehod
wife and children q single bushel Of wheat"
Inc pay of a colonel, il Is siasei by The sama
paper, would not purchase the oats for his horse,
nor would his whole days pay procure a simple
dinner.
The justices of ons of the counties in New
Jersey, ia order TO check up eztoTti3n and pus
the articles Of common necessity ai such prices
as soldiers could afford to pay. established tbs
-o-l-ff'---b Fte-7 4 W 10Y u''t tAA Ge.iu5 nay
for horse iwsnty-four hours, So hay for horse
one night. So wheat per bushel. $50: rye per
bushel, S35 corn per b1shel $50.
Still We hear Of man growing faint hearisd ia
some parts Of the CODfedesscT because corn Is
worth four dollars per bushel, srd because
wheat is scarce at seven to ten dolsrs
There were then, as now, a class Of visionary
legislators who thought they could regulate
priess and bring things down by law.
Accordingly they attempted 10, and dscr1ed that
% -four should be four dollars and a half per
hundred" and other things in proportion. But
.hs Continental money being worth cnly about
B penny to the dollar, barrel Of flour would
cost about nine buudred dollars aud = single
gallon Of rum would cost one hundred and fifty
lOliars.
Compared with the spff rings Of the American
irmy in ths revolution, or with the army Of Es-
1eoleon in Eastern Europe, or with that Of Pi-
iaTrO in MsEico, or even with that Of Jackson
a the swsmps of LoUisisns in l5l2-l3, our ar
nies know little or nothing Of priFstions And
ret the cause which to-day keeps oDr armies in
he field in Virginia, TsnHesses eui Mississippi.
s more righteous, in the sight Of both God and
nsn, than that which WAS represented by either
f the armies Just enumerated. TIE truth is.
many Of our people have not fully rsslizad the
Importance Of the issue at present existing be-
Vgsen the two governments on this Continent
lse they would be less inclined to muTmur