The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-01-22
RALEIGH, N @, THURSDAY, JANUARY %, 1890

haps few readers appreciate the difference,
the dlsprOpOrtlOn In the sacrifices ot diff
terent persons, and classes, In our calamitOus
struggle for Southern freedom. Difference.
in health, In wealth, in temperament, in
culture, In social relations, and In domestic
circumstances, were SO great that there
could be no sort of comparison between the
patriotism OF different members of the same
company, or county, or even the same fani-
ly. Take, tor example, a wild rolicking
youngster, without family ties. fond of out
door life, and male cOmpanionship, careless
of books or newspapers, and easily amused
by game Of cards, "a fight or foot race, y
who, therefore, would rather volunteer
than to stay at home and work in the shop,
or on the farm. What equality of sacrifices
was there in his case as COMPARED with
another young man Of the same age, with
wife and children needing his care, or an
constitutional predictions for hardy life,
but with thousand reasons for pursuing
other plans, yet who drops all personal con-
slderations, leaves his family to the charity of
outsiders, and goes forth to obey the call of
his State
Or how shall We adjust the difference be-
tween the strong healthy man who, after
marching all day, slept like log, while his
weakly comrade staggered wearily into
camp three hours behind the rest, and sat
all night propped against tree, barking
with consumptive cough! Both may have
been patriotic, but surely not equal in self
sacrifice. Camp-life to the one, may not
have been always pleasant, but to the other
from depr.udtions, such as books, letters,
and intellectual food, which were never once
dreamed of by the majority of their COM
rades. Some men were accustomed to rough
ways of living before they volunteered in the
army; whereas for my part | can truthfully
say suffered more from coarse and dirty
food, dirty blankets and clothes, unwashed
linen, (often marching and fighting for weeks
without opportunity to wash our faces once
day. and the irradicable -vermin
than from all the other h ,rdships of the SER
vice. Perhaps [ ought to include the bitter
modification OF having to obey in silence the
coarse commands of petty upstairs, from cor
poralss to captains or colonels, vulgar in
with "a little brief authority which gave
them opportunity to domineer over men in
every respect their superiors. In recalling
my tour years Of military service these fea-
lures of personal discomfort from lack of
proper outfit, annoyance from rough and un
congenlal associates, and sore humiliation
under official arrogance far exceed the mere
physical hardships and suoerings.
''CAMP JOHNSTON.
After marching nine miles in the direction
OF Harper's Ferry, we learned the Fejerals,
small scouting party, had returned north
of the Potomac so the battalion turned in
to large meadow sloping down from
forest; in the skirt of which our tents we're
pitched in regular order, betOkening a
lengthy stay. The new encampment was
named in honor of the commander-in chief
Gen. JOS f. Johnston and it was hoped
ere long we should see him among us, as he
would very probably followithis route to the
upper fords, if an advance, trans Poton,oc
were resolved upon. Unhappily, as all the
the Confederacy having decided upon the
Fabian, or Passive Defence, Policy which
under the circumstances was equivalent to
slow su eide, from phlebotomy, j. e. death
by inches The dull daily round of
Morning Roll breakfast" Guard
Mounting" Company Drill, !" Squad
Drill, y Dinner, Battalion Drill, Dress
Parade, Supper Might Roll" Tat
too and Taps, which filled the days,
weeks, and months, at Camp Johnston
was but typical of similar Red Tape Routine
in all OF Johnstons camps from Bull-Run
to the Blue Ridge. Precisely three months,
to the day, to the hour, after the famous
battle, Sunday, July 2lst,) were allowed to
ose in utter quetude-( I had almost writ
Ten, Incidence, )-amid the finest weather of
he year, the lines were again formed,
md another Bull-Run route began 4 p. m.
Sunday, Oct. 2lst) on the bluffs of Balls
plantation near Leesburg.
Apropos, the subject, (and now that
lave enrolled myself as a musket bearer in
he ranks of the Eighth Virginia Volun-