The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-05-31
The BLUE AND THE GRav

,IE "o2ae COn/e0crdtc SOftftcr,
sMr. II. v. Red6eld, who is one Of tho
3host careful and observant correspondents
kin th' country, has just contributed p,ncr
ITO the Philadelphia Weekly Times. that
produces peculiar interest and Specification.
| a,f BETWEEN TWO FIRES.
| Ny. Red6eld was during the war a strict
nonSombatant. He was Quaker like in his
l'aSs 2ssSs ed ,passssas shisa Iiaae esssiss
ljGS u ustiIs union 3 az " FsdsSato
ARM Que dayShc was surrounded by
! the yankess,3 and the next day his placid
and unrutHed face beamed like full moon.
from the midst of an angry rebel host.
| 1t thus happened that Mr.. Redfcd, who
wasclipping piece Of non. explosive calico,
.or weighing pound Of tea, would observe
tthlnSs closely out of the tail of his peace
finl eye, had capital opportunity OF noting
fthes escharactcristics
OF TIE TWO ARMIES.
His impressions, gained while engaged
in the bloodlcss business of keeping store
between lines, he has put into print The
tpeints that he makes furnish many reasons
Stqr tho defcatof the confederate arms.
b The first point of difference between the
Enrmes was the disparity in cquipmcr IS. -
rahe Npthern soldiers had the very best of
e!ethin Stat monoy- could buy or che .mar.s
kets of the world furnish. They had spcn
did double ovorcoats, oil-cloth coverings,
and perfect guns and accoutrcmcnts.
Their wagons and ambulanccs were superb;
and remarkably adapted for rough campaign
ing Their cavalry equipments were mag
niilcent. No army ever went to the field
better. equipped than the union army.
TIE CoNrEDERATEs,
on the other hand, were shabbily and insult
ficicnty dressed. They wore homcspun
mostly, and it was of all colors. In one
regiment of cavalry, Mr.. Rcdfcld has seen
four or five kinds of rifles and shot guns,
all sorts Of saddles, some with rope stirrups,
aud many of them without blankets -
Ls.sau It was ..1ss really Iaughalsa he says. The
s@he mSa tn a h' ezpg and half
And even greater difference was obscr
vablc in the supply Of food that was served
10 the two armies. The fcdcrals always
had full rations of beef, pork, coffee, salt,
bread and beans. Their articles were of
che best quality, and the regiments provided
with such convenient cooking utensils that
they were able to prepare it appctzngly.
They never suffered from hunger or poor
rations.
The confcdcrates on the other hand had
scanty and poor eating They had virtually
no cooking utensils, and the poor food that
they had was miscrably cooked. In the
spring Of 1868 MIR. Rcdfeld spent few
days in the camp of confederate rcgi-
ment and found that they had nothing for
ratiens but beef and -four. There was not
even an ounce Of salt. The bread was
literally nothing but -four and water. 1t
was baked in pans and the beef was
ROASTED ON A STICK.
Mr.. Redfeld states seriously that the
abundance of coffee was worth thousands
OF soldiers to the union side. 1t was fine
recruiting power in the border States. He
tells OF father and two sons who fought
for year or two with the confcderates.
They were then captured and parolcd.-
One day the sons went down to the federal
camp, and were treated to some fine coffee.
They became so fond Of it that they finally
joined the tederals, just to be able to get
plenty OF 1t. The father followed very soon.
to get his sons. out of "thc disrracelul
scrapc," and wound up by yielding his patri.
otism captive to the coffee, just as they had
done.
1t is amazing that the Southern armies.
composed for the most part of men used to
bouutiful living and warm climate, could
have fought and marched, and suffered, as
they did for five long years amid the noun
tains of Tennessee and Virginia Their
soldier life was heroism even if there had
been no battles. 1t required more courage
and patriotism to suffer, and endure, and
starve, than it did to fight
E One OF the most important differences
that our observant noted was the discipline
that was so much more perfect in the
Northern than the Southern army. In the
former the discipline was perfect from the
hrst. The officers were supreme in the fcde
raj army. They were obcyed implicitly and
with non.questioning promptncss. The
case was different with the southerners.-
There was more individuality among these
soldiers. Almost every man had high ideas
Ct. personal dignity and independence.
Tho most Of them considered themselves
the equals, many Of them the superiors, C."
their officers. The most of the companies