The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-03-28

what n f;on-Combatsnf Saw and IIsrrd
Ssr nnd the S soialor 5s sS
Mr. II. v. Redfield, who is one of tn,
most careful aud observant correspon
dents in the country, has Just contributed
9 paper to the Philadelphia Weekly
TINES that produces peculiar iuterea
and Specification between two fires.
Mr.. Redfeld was during the war Q
strict non-combatant. He was Quaker.
like in his love Of peace, and pnrgued
his nofensive business with mildly
and beaming eye. He was situated on
contested ground just between the union
and confederate armies. One day he va.
surrounded by the yankees, and the next
day his placid and unruffled face beamed
like full moon, from the midst of an
angry rebel host.
1t thus happened that Mr.. Radfield.
. who YVES clipping piece of non-explo..
siye calico, or weighing pound of tea.
would observe things closely out OF the,
tail of his peaceful eye, had capital
opportunity Of noting tho characteristics
OF the two armies.
His impressions gained, while engaged
in the bloodless business Of keeping store
between lines, he has put into print.
The points that no makes furnish many
reasons for the defeat of the confederate
arms.
The first point of difference between
the armies was the disparity in equip.
ments. The northern soldiers had the
very best of clothing that money could
buy or the markets of the world furnish.
They had splendid double overcoats. oil
cloth coverings. end perfect guns and
accoutrcments. Their wagons aud am.
balances were superb, and remarkably
adapted for rough campaigning. Their
cavalry equipments were magnificent.
No army ever went to the field better
equipped than the Union army.
The confederates on the other hand
were shabbily and insufficiently dressed.
They worc homespun mostly, and it was
of all colOrs. In one regiment of cavalry.
Mr.. Redfeld has seen four or five kinds
of rifles! and shot guns all sorts of sad
dies, some with rope stirrups, and manv
of them without blankets, in one regi.
ment. 1t va8 really laughable, he says.
The hQrseh we're poorly fed and poorly
groomeci, ind the men in a 'half freezing
and half starved condition.
An even greater difference was obsery-
able ip the aupply of food that was served
to the two armies. The federals always
had full rations Of beef, pork, coffee, salt,
bread and beans. Their articles we're of
the best quality, and the regiments pro-
vided with such convenient cooking uten-
sils that they were able to prepare it
appetizingly. They never suffered from
hunger or poor rations. }i'{ til
The confederates on the other hand
had scanty and poor eating. They had
virtually no cooking utensils, and the
poor food that they had was miserably
cooked; In the spring of 1873 Mr. Red
field spent few days IT the camp of the
confederate regiment and found that they
bad nothing for rations but beef and
flour. There was not even an ounce of
salt. The bread was literally potning
but -four anu water. 1t was baked in
pans and the beef was roasted on a stick.
MIR. Redfeld states seriously th At the
abundance of coffee was worth thousands
of soldiers to the union side. 1t was
a fine recruiting power in the border
state8. He tells of father and two sons
who fought for g year or two with the
confederates. They were then captured
and paro!sd. One. day the sons went
uown to the federal camp, and were
treated to some 6ne coffee. They be.
came 30 fond of it that they finally
joined the 'iEsderals. iuat to be able b oct
plenty Of It. The father followed very
soon to get his sons out of ''the disgrace.
sful scrape,", and, wound up by yiella:-ss
his paBriotism 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 bountifnl living and warm climate,
could have fought and marched, and suf.
fered as they did for five long years amid
the mountains Of Tennessee and Virginia.
Their poidier-lifc was heroism, even if
there had been no battles, It required
more courage and patriotism to s..ffer,
and endure, and etarye, than it lid to
fight. sts
One of the most important differences
that our obseryanti noted vas the disci-
pline chat was SO much more perfect in
the northern than tie southern army.
In the former. the dincipline was perfect
from theifrst. The officers were supreme
in the federal army. They were obeyed
implicitly and with & non questioning
promptness. The caSs was different with
the southerners. Thera was more indi-
viduaiity amolg these soldiers. Almost
every man had high ideas of personal
dignity and independence. The most of
.tlcul COuBlueISut tIIeulH6lveJ tEc SQnalS,
many Of them the euperiors, of their or
csrs. The most of the companies wera
made up IN towns or villages IN which
allSthe men wero acquainted with each
other. 1t thus happened that lot Of
local prejudices and spites were banded
together in each company and carried ali
throngh .theawar. 49,
RI ift noticed d great deal of
talking backn on the part of our men to
their officers, and good many high
strlIg Ftigat offered to lick the officers
that gave them commands they didn't
like. The standing of the individual
confederate soldier wns much higher
'tsoeially ispeaking1 than that of the
northern. This Of itself made them un-
ruly at frat.
- Mf sRedfeldJ says there was much
greater disposition on the part Of the
confederates to put all the blame of a
defeat on their officers than there was OF
the other sidei In short the federals
were more like regulars, the confederates
more like volunteers; the one wero "ma-
Chimes, the others men. --..-- -.-..-. &
ySJ,Ts oUsegvauI says InnL one OF tne
most notable, points of difference between
the two Armies was the manner in which
the federals 'bummed" and played tho
vahdal, while the sontherhers didn't'bnm
and played the gentleman.
Hnsays the uoutherners did no stealing.
The rights of property in the country
through which they marched were sacred.
They did not steal. except in Unusual