Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1865-02-03
THE SPIRIT OF THE ARMY.

TIE following letter, from, soldier in tSs
trenches to his father in Riehmcn', a!ttsts tho
spirit o: the army:
CAMp NEAR DUaLAr's, Jan. Ii. 1865.
NV D,ar Father: j ;hn tells me- what
we'll knsw before, thss there is great eo,pond
ency among the oitSsrs OF R,1hlncai which
arn surprised at.
The ssny is grum5ling because heir fo'd
and clo:&ing is inaLth5is,.t, and bsosuss they
are not pail; but they DO not d,spond. And
it matters !is.le what the rest Of tho rnpala
tioa may think, provided the army, which con-
tains the larger perti;n Of the courage, ,strcngsh
and eaergy Of tia country, DOES NJ: desrair.
Wba. ms7 would havo prsticted, enc gear
before tie sure, d.r Of O1rnwallis O: York
town, that in twelye months tho country
would be tt psaco end tAva Independence I? -
Wha. reason could he have given for his opin-
ion3 DID tho utste of the country justify ths
thought All our cities in the enemy hands;
O currency worth nothing; Washington in
New Jersey with hendful of men; Green in
the South st the head Of remnant Of Q de,
fea:ed army; CJrnwalis marching where ho
woald, without opposition; and, worse than
all, O numerous tory population in every
Safe to !hwars the effort. e. t:ns men -
Such wss tho situation. Did Wash
iagson detpairr Patrick uenry said, There
IS Just GJd who presidss over the destinie5
of na:lons; no VIII rsise u2 friends to tiySi
oar battles for u.s." And 81 it wss. Great
B,i.aia bsoame involved in European difficult
ties; France b.osms the ally Of the Colonies;
Coravallis' army was captured at York!nwn,
and pexco and lnd.rendsLco di ! ccms.
Dusirg tbs Seven Y dsrs' war, all that |
have msat:or cl as pertaining to our country
in toe Revolution. befel Prussia, aid mors.-
Hs. sntagoniste were far stronger than ours
we're. uer only silly was Eagland, who fur
nished her no msh. Austr q, France and
Ruasis were her fco,. usr capital wau time
and again captured. laroads through her
territory (like Shsrma1's through our( wtro
msds in every dirsct:on; agriculture was
ruined; tho Piusoisn King bad no bssss Ct
supply, and almost No supp!i,r. Did he DO
psir? No! Worthy Of suo,.st, be hoped,
and fought on. Now, see "~hst day may
bring forth" SuddOely England hnd Franco
"pairsd off," God visited with deata tho mort
dangerous of his enomies, the Empress OF
Russia. Her SUCCESSOR, personal sdm'rer OF
F.edsriok, withdrew his srmiss; an! thnn
Austria, which had boon unable, WITH the help
cf France and Ruseis, to subduo the heroic
King, consulted to psace.
Dd the Romans despAif when H.nHsbul
was at their gates?
Does tbs present condition of the Southern
Conf.!ersoy justify de,par? ! cannot, FOR
ths lie Of me, zee how. l think the loss ni
Savannah clearly an advantage to ug Hoods
disasters can, and, doubtless, will bo rspaised.
Where the reasons for dssponding2 is TO:
cur condition now q thousand fold b.tter than
wa, Wsshington's or Frsderioksf
Ia the midst of this gallant army, which,
uodor the brave, patient and abc gnidance
of its heroic chief, has fought and Coz
oIsrtd. till "ihey mock at fear, and denth
dsfvn - INV hopss aro brighe', m7 conf
d.nc, is ss great as evor during tho
war, 1t WAS not ono whit greater when
tha. horde of robbers and murtorers. sty!st
ths Army of the Potomac" fed like houads
efors Us on the 9th July, 1862. o. when
Burnside and Hooker withdrew their shattered
columns aoross the Rappahannoak. blush
for thosc who dsspond. ! am Gehanidd c! them
I know we'll way they do 20. 1t is beAauHa
thsy l,ye nao,,sy moro than honor.
Does not !"sths Lord ODD, onsn'potent rsisn." "
Ia ha. 70. 4 just Godf How, tben, oan man;
who belieeos our csose . juat ona, dssHar
L,t us bear our suffsrings like men! ba-
lieye that submission tc Our enemy Tor What
aorns people call by aaoss.r name, reconStrnc
ton, wiul involve more suffering 10 On hon
orsble mind than any va have c! may havs to
endure. believe any COZ iva bio amount OF
inaic:ion soffsrsd in an honorabl, ctnse to hs
an easier burden thancur enemy's tsndsr 1er-
oy would put upon us. am willing 70 pass
through the trial. | am osafideIt OF tho re-
suit. And th.ro nSo taou.nads Of m,n Who
f,el as do. This war will ncoer end unleEs o.. +
ind.pendenoe come with that end. ThsY Will
fight as long as life lasts, and their sti'ers sons
viii! ooItinue the war.
Ii itwere possible for thoaa who love lite Or
money bo.tor than honor 10 gain tho Rsosndtn-
cy, and they shoulc b, willing to disgrsce
themselves, curse their descendants, shaEis
thsir coun:ry aod disbonor tho memory ol Tia
i,sroic dssd, by any reunion wish oar infamous
and hated enemy, God grant that may find
bsfors thu. wrstched time comsa, an honorable
baria! in = soldiers greve.
Your 9f :otiopsts sor, -.
-A-O-S~--
PAINTING NEGEoEs.--When the Confederate