Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-10-07
THE sGRpENT OF TIE SOUTH.


VIC givs below soms extracts from q re
osn: letter Of +. W. A., to the Savannah "Rs
publican" /: will be eeen that there is en
en- ,my mora terfitlo to tho Confsdorsoy thai
the Yspkee-Eoss Y lss,lating than the grave
| Haeo VIC beaor,e rhbble Of drunksrds? Le
ofi,inls, in or ort Of the army, ponder thi
article well, and bswaro how they sgt tho e1
empio to tts:r subordinates, which will leat
thoir o'untry aud themselves to perdition:
D,yau ask for An ex 2lanatiol Of these rap
| iIls occurring disasters in portion Of the
Stat, where tho Conff der a:es, until the 10Th
IL ;ver suffered defeat It il simple en- easily
| given We htYo two oDomies to contend witt
in tho Vail.y. oae cf whom has never be, 1
best IN TN ,e Noah DR.; nk too much wine enc
! lay IN his toat. 1hsee encmics are the Fedora
army IN J,,hn Barley Corn. Sheridan hai
been ls.snIy rein CIooJ, and tho Valley il
nning win .pplo brandy. Horc is the key u
our ressrsaa. Oficsrs OF high position-yes
"f very high rosi;ion-have, to use an homes
Eaglisa word. Dsen drunk-too drunk to com
maud thsmselyss, much less an army, divi-
| m"n, a brignie, or o regimen And, where
Cfi ;ers in high oomnand are in the habit Of
drltE:-S tn tx'osa wo may bo sure their per-
ncouc example will DO followed by those oi
lower Sra1e..
Shall clll names? Net row. The names
nre known TO the authortiss. and shall be to
the cod"try, ness:hsro he speedy refofrls
tim Lat rs whit q Ii t's to 500 whether The
guilty parties will not reform their habits, and
e,rccinly whether tho President, Secretary OF
Wnc, Gsn. LA an Gaa. Bragg will take hold
&c these meu md punish tiem as they deserve.
Just think Of drunktn man in command o!
b d7 Of MEN in battle
a dTunkcn driver Of n Stage coach in dark
night cvor IN runrain road, drunkon con-
ducsur of railway train on a crooked line
and cr. II Ii;no, and drunken pilot in charge
Of slip ut sea in furious tempest-these
are horrible things, oven to suppose or think
o. But they are ysnial sins. Insignificant
faults. compared with drunken general COM
III ,nding an army, CT any part Of an army,
lighting for liborty. There i'd no punishment
tpr great for fuuh mi n no disgrace tho deep
to be sfxcI to their names forever. Will the
authorities lay their hands upon them. punish
them, rashiAr them, toourge them out of the
service: We shall see.
Bu; .hers ars other unpleasant truths con-
| neeted with the army 10 t,e Valley which re-
quiss notice. That aImy comprises some Of
rno finest divisions in the Army of Northern
Vrginia-veseran troops, iaured to hardship,
II ssli -do"ial and bate. They knew not
whGs it was to turn thsir backs upon On armod
foo, end what is equally gratifying, they koeW
M little Of self-iadulgence. They went into
! haryiand-; shay went near enough 20 Wash'
IN ,.on to throw Rhslls into its streets. They
tasted of mtny good things beyond the Poto-
ma; they Lurns Ohsmbers5urg in Psnnsyl-
vania, and brought back many epoils with
thca. Th;B excursion into the riJh country oil
the enemy, tAe lcenso allowed to officers and
men, and thu pluuicr that was secured, TO-
gsthsr With the free uso of liquor since theil
return, have borne their natural fruit Some
Of IhB fiu.t was (u.hered by the enemy O.
WinGhett T aid Fishsr's Hill.
The cavalry forces tha' had b,on operating in
the Valley, al. iii ting bither aud tLilher along
! the Potomac and Shenandoah, we're already de-
morazed, and, since Their lat visit to Mary and
| they have been utt rly worttl,ds They were
in the habit Of robting friend and foe Slike They
| have been known 10 tt.ip Vireinisn womsn Of 81
! they had widows, whose ) ms were in our ar
my--an1 tn III 10 bura their hous ss. At Hancock
! in w, stCrd Mar, LAID, they it3rpc,l niaist o
the gospel in the traet, Oil Ihs SRbb.th cay, anC
mad hi n s. an and d. liver his watch and money
l hese mon. traus raths are It tied in the thcia
| report IT lhs officer commanding psrt of these
| cavalr, forcss, AID ~hch have read. DO yoI
| wonl,r ihen that Mechanism d. and Bradley
Johnso,.'o comlusLds, int !urued fiom such al
III xpelition md loaded down with p.und,r. shou't
| have bsen di gracefully surprised and diipersed
a. th, y were snaio weeks ago near Mocrhe'd