Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-12-14
FROM RIOHMOND.

a Ody ana Ntght UHHlPSs @ Aye W HtS
Rebel CapitaE-A Pen Picture of Var.
A6EdAIes, Want and Vice. 9f'
The army correspondent of the Colum.
bia Is. c. CarOLinian, writing from the
entrepchments around Richmond, under
date Of November 16, furnishes an inter-
estiug letter, from which we make the fol-
lowing extracts:
Among all the cities of the Confederacy
none can more justly lay claim to the title
of metropolis than its beautiful capital.
Although invested by hundred thousand
enemies, whose besieging guns, morning,
noon and night, roar out their hate; al
though girded around by a line of battle
that may at any moment bnrst into flame,
such is the faith reposed in these brave
defenders who have 30 often .....
4ou Deaths sCythe daStied with force that turned
its edge"
that one may look in vain for the sign of
doubt or trepidation. Day breaks, and
hungry thousands are making their way to
the we'll filled markets. Later, the stores
ouen their sleepy lids, and every window
displays tempting goods that t-tell q story
of busy enterprise aud broken blockades.
The restaurants, of which there are scores
kept in a style of magnificent abundance,
hang out their venison, birds and turtle,
and expose long shelves freighted with
the choicest liquors, that tempt the bon
vivdnt to certain financial ruin. The DO
tells and boarding houses pour forth
their living contents, and by nine
o'clock Main street and its tribu-
taries begin to witness the grand
professional movement which continues
through. the day. Ladies and clerks are
vending their way to their several posts
of duty; men with official business plainly
written on their faces are hurrylng Ia the
direction of the departments; mothers,
wives and sisters applying for the detail or
fnrIouph of some loved one, or perhaps ca
GER to learn the fate of missing husband,
son or bfother are also there; othcers are
gnIIouinp from the front to bring reports to
the headquarters in town. quarteTmasters'
with their accustomed energy, are looking
up the days supplies; soldiers from Damp
on a few hours leave OF absence oeSlh 10
terrive. men on crutches hObbling forth
from hospital rooms to breathe the fresh
air; the fair sex, aItired with a richness
| and elegance, aud iu raiment that you will
Esse nowhere else in the confederacy, add
m the attractions of the street, and thus
Gathering it's contributions from thous-
and channels, the population out OF doors
crows and diyersifes until you ind your.
self pluuped into one of those Cosmopolitan
| oronnd sHells that exist only in the great
eities of the world. Bynoon the tide 10 at
iIs flood. and you may elbow the best and
,bs vorst. the highest and the lowest, the
greatest and the meAnest people IN tne
| land. Night contesI and the llRhts nasu
merrily from a thousand parlors' WheFe
| FpiUn peace, pleasure and content hosPl.
tality aboundS, ADD with graceful hana
the good citizens dispense tts rights not
more amosg themselves than upon me ne
nsssinp stranger, whose only claim may pc
tbat hests 3 s0fdier. The transient Tisi-
| tor has offered to him the temptations of
The theatre and concert room, while a
score of hells are ready to engulph those
whose bAser-tastes ,beet Ht thent-tor' their
enioymeuts. Such is Richmond. m =
And il is a strange contrast that one ex-
Derienees in passing from these metropoli-
ian scenes. where dress aud fashion are
/ the presiding deities, to the severe assocl-
atoms of the campf where comfort ct best
ia but rude, and every thought is subordi'
nate to the duties of the time and place.
Rere every thing speaks OF war. the
ulaceiin which write is the heaaquaFteEs
of one of our generals, ana yet nea1quar'
tors are bnt deserted negro hut, where a
singIe apartment, divided by string oil
canvass, serves the purpose of othce, cham
Der and dining room. .-.......-.,---,
| Inst in our front is the continuation Oh
| The onter line of entertainments which en-
compass RiGhmoudr and now hold the en-
emyat bay. .AzfeW hundred yards distant
oIeam the fres along our picket liue.
sndss corresponding row Of lights beyond
mark the presence of Yankee division
THE woods have been leveled for miles
and the ground covered with 40 labatis
tbat has been already unsuccesstully eG-
nIored by the federals. Across this spaoe
loccasiouaI glimpses GreAfordsd OF the IN:
/ tre6ohments of the enemy, but for several
5svs no demonstration has been made oy
tbcm which indicates vigorous life. STILL
we know they are there.
Our men are rapidly getting INTO winter
taaarters, building wells, putting up log
limits with thatched roofs, and preparing to'
the inelemerlcy Of the season.
The most interesting portion OF the en-
E,i,s-iine is around Petersburg, were toe
10 armies haye-dug and dug until tnl
sntira fscs-T a. the eouhtty between them
resembles Iebyfihih, whisa5to me anini'
tiated, has neither beginning nor enG.'-
} Necessity, the mother OF lnVenhoh' na'
taught our men how to protect themselves ,.Ss,
and you will hud them. borrowing hA'
SQUIRRELS under ground. They live IN caves
holes, chambers ingeniously constructed d
with bunks aud ere places, and IN WoIa
except in time Of action, are completely
Isheitered. ShRrps hooting, the peat oil
q soldiers life in the,trenches, continues m
cessantIy but, beyond thirty or forty mel