The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-12-25
FROM GENERAL LEES AnnY.
Army OF. NORTHERN VIRGINIA, !
n0I

ARMY OF. NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
Dec. ed, 1863.
The elements have proclaimed an afmisiics
which will ensure suspension of campaigning
for the next I've months. In the meantime let us
hope that the Congress Of our Coufederacy will
not permit the appropriate season TO psss without
the enactment of such laws as will recruit our
wasted armies and exhaust our depleted treasury
Ii we mean to make good our claims to independ-
ence, we must strike bold and decisive blows dur
Ing the ensuing spring and summer. This we can
only do by bringing every available able bodied
young man to the field this winter, and devising
such schemes as will ensure the army aud the
people suficiency Of bread and meat to subsist
upon. These are the topics Of legislation which
must be fairly met and fully overcome, In order to
our success in the all-important campaign Of the
coming summer. The sentiment of the army IL
decidly in favor of bnneing out the principals who
have furnished substitutes. The whole army,
think, would submit graciOusy to the bill of Mr.
Miles, conscriptins them for the war, in their
present organizations, Ii the men who have fur
nished substitutes are only included in the BILL or
are reached by proper legislation.
The roads, as l mentioned before, ore all under
going thorough repair, and in some cases will be
planked In Others they will be thoroughly covered
with stone and made quite serviccabie. For this
purpose heavy details are made daily from almost
every regiment in the army. The attention now
being paid 70 the roads and the present condition
OF TRANSPORTATION make II q mattes quite certain
that we shall be able to keep the animals 10 much
better order than they were kept last winter.
Large quantities Of baled hay arrive every day,
and 1 should suppose that if proper attention has
been paid 10 the taking care Of the tax In kind
that an abundance of long food could be readily
obtained for the animals this winter.
There IL considerable preparation In a small way
among officers and men for Christmas. The good
folhs at home, In many instances, are not forget
ting the gallant boys In the field the number Of
boxes arriving TOO plainly tell. ] saw One box
come to hand on yesterday containing, according
TO present valuation In Confederate currency, not
less than siI hundred dollars worth Of good things.
And who, think you, kind reader, sent II 10 this
gallant boy in the hcldf Why. IL must tell, 1t
was his betrothed, and then tho note that accom-
panied II was mucn more highly priced tran all else
which that box contained. Who would not have
q asWeethsarta
The eystem Of permanent furloughs Instituted IN
this army In August last IL working like charm,
aud deseruons arc much less numerous. But, az
the same time, II may be well to observe that the
military discipline II, II anything, more stringent
than ever, and little no leniency can be eIpeet-
I'd for those who abandon their country standard.
Among the improvements Introduced in this
army, In order to promote is efficiency, am
pleased to notice the shoe factory organized by
Gen. Malone in his brigade TO supply bis mea With
shoes made to measure and as they are needed
II would be good taing for the troops II factor es
could be started In every brigade in the army.
0Marse RObeun E.. Lee returned from Rich
mond on s'onday, after an absence Of ten days,
during which he has doubtless given pnco OF good
counsel to the President touching the public af-
fairs. Gen. Lee is In good health, and never was
in better spirits. / have frequently been asked
the names Of the gentlemen comprising the staff OF
the General Commanding. will give II q FOL
lows Col. X. H. Chiffon, A. A. Chief Of Stat;
T.ieut.-Coi. B.. q. Baldwin, Chief Of Ordnance;
Lieut.-Col. J. l.. Coreey, Chief 0uartsrmaster;
Lieut.-Coi. A. A. Cole, Chief C.mmissary; sur
econ g. Guild. Medical Director;sl.ieut. Col. Mar-
phy, inspector General; Major Henry 6. Peyton,
Assistant INSPECTOR General; Major Z. Marshall IL
his Private Secretary; and Majors G. s. Venabls
and W. H. Taylor are his Aids.
There has been for some time past system Of
highway robbery going on ia the lines Of this army
To such an extent has II been carried that fai-
iouehed soldiers have found 1t necessary TO 70
armed and In squads from the lower parts OF the
lines to the nearest depot. A few day, since de-
tails were made from different corpe of sharpshoot.
ers aud sent out to look after the robbers squad
came up with some suspicious characters, and u
exciting race ensueds one man WIS captured, taken
before 0cu. Rhodes, and committed for trial.
The suffers arc moving 70 the tfont 10 Hdfovss !"
aud are literally ''coinipg" Confederate money ny
their sales. A.