ARMY, CONFEDERATE. 



15 



forefathers in arms encounter greater hardships, or en- 

 dure them more uncomplainingly. 



But great as have been the trials to which the army 

 has been subjected, they are hardly worthy to be 

 named in comparison with the sufferings in store for 

 it this winter, unless the people of the Confederate 

 States, everywhere and in whatever circumstances, 

 come to its immediate relief. The men must have cloth- 

 ing and shoes this winter. They must have something 

 to cover themselves when sleeping, and to protect 

 themselves from the driving sleet and snow storms 

 when on duty. This must be done, though our friends 

 at home should have to wear cotton, and sit by the 

 fire. The army of Virginia stands guard this day, as 

 it will stand guard this winter, over every hearth- 

 stone throughout the South. The ragged sentinel 

 who mav pace his weary rounds this winter on the 

 bleak sp'urs of the Blue" Ridge, or along the frozen 

 valleys of the Shenandoah and Rappahannock, will 

 also "be your sentinels, my friends, at home. It will 

 be for you and your household that he encounters the 

 wrath "of the tempest and the dangers of the night. 

 He suffers, and toils, and fights for you, too, brave, 

 true-hearted women of the South. Will you not clothe 

 his nakedness, then? Will you not put shoes and 

 stockings on his feet? Is it not enough that he has 

 written down his patriotism in crimson characters 

 along the battle road from the Rappahannock to the 

 Potomac ? And must his bleeding feet also impress 

 their mark of fidelity upon the snows of the coming 

 winter? 



It is not necessary to counsel violent measures ; but 

 it is not expected that any person will be permitted to 

 accumulate leather and cloth for purposes of specula- 

 tion. The necessities of the armies rise up like a 

 mountain, and cannot, and will not be overlooked. It 

 was hoped at one time that we might obtain winter 

 supplies in Maryland. This hope was born after the 

 army left Richmond, and has now miserably perished. 

 The" Government is unable to furnish the supplies, 

 for they are not to be had in the country. If it had 

 exercised a little foresight last spring and summer, 

 when vessels were running the blockade with cargoes 

 of calico, linen, and other articles of like importance, 

 a partial supply at least of hats, blankets, shoes, aod 

 woollen goods might have been obtained from Eng- 

 land. But foresight is a quality of the mind that is 

 seldom put in practice in these days. 



Bat whatever may be done by the people should be 

 done immediately. Not one moment can be lost that 

 will not be marked, as by the second-hand of a watch, 

 with the pangs of a sufferer. Already thehills and val- 

 leys in this high latitude have been visited by frost, 

 and the nights are uncomfortably cool to the man who 

 sleeps upon the ground. Come up, then, men and 

 women of the South, to this sacred duty ! Let noth- 

 ing stand between you and the performance of it. 

 Neither pride nor pleasure, nor personal ease and com- 

 fort, should withhold your hands from the holv work. 

 The supply of leather and wool, we all know. Is limit- 

 ed ; but do what you can, and all you can, and as soon 

 as you can. If you cannot send woollen socks, send 

 half-woollen or cotton socks ; and so with under cloth- 

 ing, coats, and pants ; and if blankets are not to be 

 had, then substitute comforts made of dyed osnaburgs, 

 stuffed with cotton. Anything that wi'll keep off the 

 cold will be acceptable. Even the speculator and ex- 

 tortioner might forego their gains for a season, and 

 unite in this religious duty. 



If the army of Virginia could march through the 

 South just as it is ragged, and almost barefooted and 

 hatless; many of the men limping along, and not quite 

 well of their wounds and sickness, yet cheerful, and 

 not willing to abandon their places in the ranks ; their 

 clothes riddled with balls, and their banners covered 

 with the smoke and dust of battle, and shot into tat- 

 ters, many of them inscribed with " Williamsburg," 

 "Seven Pines," " Games' s Mill," " Garnett's Farm," 

 "Front Royal," "McDowell," " Cedar Run," and other 

 victorious fields if this army of veterans, thus clad 

 and shod, with tattered uniforms and banners, could 



march from Richmond to the Mississippi, it would 

 produce a sensation that has no parallel in history 

 since Peter the Hermit led his swelling hosts across 

 Europe to the rescue of the Holy Sepulchre. 



The Governor of Xorth Carolina issued an 

 appeal to the citizens in behalf of the soldiers 

 of that State in the following words : 



After the most strenuous exertions on the part of its 

 officers, the State finds it impossible to clothe and 

 shoe our soldiers without again appealing to that over- 

 flowing fountain of generosity the private contribu- 

 tions of our people. The rigors of winter are approach- 

 ing, our soldiers are already suffering, and must 

 suffer more if our sympathies are not practical and 

 active. The quartermaster's department is laboring 

 faithfully to provide for them ; but owing to specula- 

 tion and extortion, will fall short. The deficiency 

 must be supplied by the people. We shall have an 

 active winter campaign, and how can our troops, if 

 ragged, cold and barefoot, contend with the splendidly 

 equipped columns of the enemy. 



The articles most needed, and which the State finds 

 it most difficult to supply, are shoes, socks and blan- 

 kets, though drawers, shirts, and pants would be gladly 

 received. If every farmer who has hides tanning 

 would agree to spare one pair of shoes, and if every 

 mother m North Carolina would knit one strong pair 

 of either thick cotton or woollen socks for the army, 

 they would be abundantly supplied. A great lot of 

 blankets also might yet be spared from private use, 

 and thousands could be made from the carpets upon 

 our parlor floors. With good warm houses and cotton 

 bed clothing we can certainly get through the winter 

 much better than the soldiers can with all the blankets, 

 we can give them. 



The colonels of militia regiments throughout the 

 State are hereby appointed agents for the purchase 

 and collection of all such articles as can be spared by 

 our people, who, through their respective captains, are 

 ordered immediately to canvass every county and visit 

 every citizen in their beats for this purpose. A liberal 

 price will be paid for everything where the owner feels 

 that he or she is not able to donate it, and active 

 agents will immediately forward them to our suffering 

 regiments. Expenses will be allowed the officers en- 

 gaged in this duty, and transportation furnished the 

 colonels or their agents to bring the articles to Ra- 

 leigh. 



And now. my countrymen and women, if you have 

 anything to spare for the soldier, in his name I appeal 

 to you for it. Do not let the speculator have it, though 

 he'offer you an enormous price; spurn him from your 

 door, and say to him that our brave defenders Lave 

 need for it, and shall have it without passing through 

 his greedy fingers. Do not place yourselves among 

 the extortioners they are the vilest and most coward- 

 ly of all our country's' enemies; and when this war is 

 ended, and people come to view the matter in its 

 proper light, you will find that the most detested tones 

 are more respected than they. When they tempt you 

 with higher prices than the State offers ; just think for 

 a moment of the soldier, and what he is doing for you. 

 Remember, when you sit down by the bright and glow- 

 ing fire, that the soldier is sitting upon the cold earth; 

 that in the wind which is whistling so fearfully over 

 your roof, only making you feel the more comfortable 

 because it harms you not, he is shivering in darkness 

 on the dangerous outpost, shuddering through the 

 dreary hours of his watch. Remember that when you 

 come forth in the morning well fed and warmly clad, 

 leading your families toward the spot where the bless- 

 ed music of the Sabbath bells tells you of the peace- 

 ful worship of the God of Peace, the soldier is going 

 forth at the same moment, perhaps, half fed, after a 

 night of shivering and suffering, to where the roar of 

 artillery and shout of battle announce that he is to die 

 that your peace and safety may be preserved. Oh, re- 

 mernber these things, generous and patriotic people 

 of North Carolina, and give freely of your perishable 



